Remember Where You Came From
As for you, you were dead in your transgression and sins, where you used to live when you followed the ways of this world. All of us lived for the world at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following our desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Life isn’t fair… and I am glad. God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, such that in the future, he can show the incomparable riches of his grace. His grace is ultimately expressed in his kindess through Jesus Christ. It is by grace that you have been saved, through faith. You didn’t earn it; you can’t boast in anything but grace. We are God’s handiwork, created to do the good works that God has in mind for us. We are his masterpiece; we are made in His image; we are the extension of His character.

Therefore, remember that at one time, you were separate from Christ. That should bring you a rush of gratitude and humility. You were so sinful that Jesus had to die for you, but are so love that He was glad to. What love! You who were once far away have been brought near to the blood of Christ. Always rejoice in this! I will say it again: Rejoice!

Your past, His glory
We the adopted, can't forget what life was like as orphans. We, the liberated, should revisit the prison. We, the found, can't forget the despair of being lost. Amnesia fosters arrogance. We can't afford to forget. We need to remember. And we need to share our story. There is someone who is like you were. And he or she needs to know what God can do. Your honest portrayal of your past may be the courage for another's future. -Max Lucado-

Our past pain becomes future glory for Christ. He redeems every tear, every pain, every sorrow in our life for His glory, both in this life and the life to come. For he himself is our peace, who has the destroyed the wall between death in life, so that all who cross over The Cross can bridge the gap. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of us by reconciling us to God through the cross. He came and preached peace to us who were far away and peace to those who were near. Through Him, everyone has access to the Father by One Spirit. In essence: it doesn’t matter who you are, what you have done, what time you live in, what corner of the earth you reside in, yada yada yada… Redemption is here! Redemption is in Him!

You are God’s dwelling
Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.

You are the body. You are the Temple. You are the Church. Let Christ’s redemption move through you.