Left Behind

I have vivid memories of being chosen last as an elementary kid in all team sports. I was a geeky, poorly dressed, nonathletic child who didn't stumble into athleticism until I was older. I don't know that anyone was being intentionally cruel, but it is still unpleasant when you are the one the last team is stuck with. It quickly diminishes your self-esteem and deflates your enthusiasm for being involved.

Much like many other childhood experiences,  the effects of this can be noticed in adulthood. The damaged perceptions from seemingly innocuous events will carry over into the rest of life even if we don't recognize the root of the damage. The effects of my own experiences could steer me in one of two disastrous directions: resigning myself to being left out and falsely believing that I am a person without value or worth or working so hard to overcome this that my personality becomes a huge monster that damages anyone in the vicinity. Sadly, through my own choices I've seen both of these in action. The good news is that God's version of our story doesn't end here.

I am ridiculously grateful that when God redeems and restores us it's not just from our own sinful choices, but also from our brokenness. He is ready to overcome emotional scarring and let us see the great value we have in His eyes. God didn't "settle" for us, but chose us first. There was no obligation on His part, but only genuine love for His creation. Grasping that truth is enough to overcome any event in our past. Repeat this mantra of healing often and allow it to rewrite God's promises over the story of our broken woundedness.