Paul – From Persecutor to Preacher
Friday, February 27
Paul – From Persecutor to Preacher
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?” – Acts 9:4, GNT
Before he was Paul the apostle, he was Saul the persecutor. He approved of Stephen’s death. He hunted believers. He breathed threats against the church. That was his mess.
On the road to Damascus, everything changed. A light from heaven knocked him down, and a voice called his name. The very man who opposed Christ was chosen to proclaim Him.
Paul would go on to write much of the New Testament. He planted churches, endured imprisonment, survived shipwrecks, and spread the gospel across nations.
God didn’t ignore Paul’s past He transformed it. The same passion Paul once used to persecute the church became the passion he used to build it.
Romans 8:28 declares that God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. And that word ‘all’ really does mean all things. Remember, purpose is not about perfection. It is about surrender. Your story is still being written. The chapter labeled “Mess” may be painful, but it is not permanent. When placed in God’s hands, it becomes the introduction to a greater testimony.
This is your Year of Purpose. Let God use every mistake, every lesson, every scar. Because when surrendered, your mess becomes your message and your message fulfills His purpose.
Prayer for today: Gracious God, thank You that no one is beyond transformation. Just as You changed Saul into Paul, change me from the inside out. Redirect my passions. Redeem my past. Use my experiences both good and bad for Your glory. Where I once worked against Your will, align me with it. Where I was blind, give me spiritual sight. Let my life be evidence that You still transform hearts and rewrite stories. I trust that You are working all things together for good because I love You and am called according to Your purpose. Use my voice to encourage, my hands to serve, and my story to bring hope. I surrender fully to Your purpose. In Jesus’ name, Amen.