COUNTED FAITHFUL—AND STILL BEING RENEWED

There is a passage in 1 Timothy that has lived in my heart for many years.

Paul writes:

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.”
—1 Timothy 1:12

Those words have always touched something deeply within me.

I would never compare my calling to Paul’s, but I understand the gratitude behind what he is saying.

I am incredibly thankful that Jesus has enabled me to use the experiences, opportunities, abilities, and voice He has given me to encourage others and, hopefully, point them toward Him.

But here is something equally important:

Similar to Paul’s admission in the very next verse (13), my journey has certainly not been perfect (or even close) either.

I have loved the Lord for most of my life. My heart has been bent toward Him for as long as I can remember, and I have always known Jesus as my Savior.

But there have also been seasons when my choices did not reflect the faith I professed—even if, at times, I professed it privately.

There were times when I knew better and still chose differently.

Times when I walked in directions I knew were not God’s choice for me.

Times when my actions simply did not line up with the person I believed He was calling me to become. 😔

And yet…

He showed me mercy.

He was patient with me.

He continued drawing me closer.

That part resonates deeply with me too.

Because I know what it feels like to need mercy.

And because I have received it, I want other people to know that mercy is available to them too.

Maybe you need that reminder today.

Your past does not disqualify you from coming to Jesus.

Your mistakes do not intimidate Him.

The years you may feel you wasted are not greater than His ability to redeem.

And becoming aware of where you have missed the mark does not mean your story is over.

Sometimes awareness is exactly where restoration begins.

I am still being changed and renewed—daily.

Still learning.

Still corrected.

Still sanctified.

Still discovering places within myself that God wants to soften, strengthen, heal, or redirect.

And I am grateful for that.

Because I have come to believe that God can use a life that is still being shaped to encourage another person who is being shaped too.

We do not have to wait until we have arrived before we share what He has taught us along the way.

Earlier in 1 Timothy, Paul writes:

“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.”
—1 Timothy 1:5

I LOVE that.

Love from a pure heart.
A good conscience.
Sincere faith.

That is how I want to live.

And it is how I want to communicate with the people God places in my life.

Not from a place of having every answer.

Not from perfection.

Not from standing above anyone.

But from a sincere desire to say:

This is what God has shown me.
This is where He has shown me mercy.
This is how He has been patient with me.
And maybe something He has taught me can encourage you too.

Then, in the next chapter, Paul writes that prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving should be made for others and reminds us that God our Savior desires people “to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

That is one reason prayer is so important to me.

When someone comes across my path—whether personally, through social media, through something I write, or through work I am fortunate enough to do—I want my heart to be:

Father, how can I encourage this person toward You?

Sometimes that may happen through words.

Sometimes through prayer.

Sometimes through kindness.

Sometimes through sharing part of a testimony, I might once have preferred to keep hidden.

Because our imperfect stories can still carry a very perfect message:

Jesus saves.
Mercy is real.
Grace is abundant.
And God is extraordinarily patient with people who are willing to keep turning toward Him.

I know because I am one of them.

And perhaps today, you simply need to know that you can be one too.

With love and sincere faith,
Monica 💜

This reflection came to me while I was studying 1 Timothy on a walk, and as I walked with it, I realized it also expressed something I wanted to share in the opening pages of STAND FIRM.

The book is getting very close now. 😊
If you missed my short write-up about it, you can find it here:

[STAND FIRM]

And perhaps one of the most meaningful things this writing process has reminded me of is this:

We do not have to have lived a perfect story for God to use our story.