I’m not who I used to be, because when I finally surrendered everything to Him, He transformed my pain into purpose and my struggle into strength. If you’ve ever felt stuck, broken, or surrounded by negativity, this message is for you.
The moment I realised something had to change
I was tired. Not just physically tired, but spiritually exhausted, emotionally drained, living under the weight of failure, regret, shame, and a constant sense that I was simply “behind” everyone else. My identity was tied to loss: lost jobs, lost relationships, lost hope. Everything I touched seemed to sink.
I remember one night, lying awake in the darkness, heart racing — I asked myself: “Is this all there is? Is this the sum of my life?” And the answer echoed back: “No.” It was in that quiet hour, when there was nowhere left to run and nothing left to hide behind, that I heard a whisper in my soul: “Surrender. Let Me have it all.”
It was terrifying. To hand over the broken pieces, the shame, the anger, the self-condemnation. But in that moment I realised something—my mess was so deep, so tangled, that the only way out was to let Someone else in.
Surrender: the gateway to transformation
Surrender doesn’t mean you instantly get a happy ending. It means you stop pretending you’re in control. You stop living under the illusion that you can fix yourself. You say: “God, I can’t. You can.”
When I surrendered, I didn’t just ask for forgiveness. I asked for a makeover of the heart. I asked Him to take the core of me — wounded, hurting, weary — and turn it into something alive. Because I realised: the very thing that broke me could be the thing that builds me.
Turning negatives into positives
You’ve heard the phrase: “turning negatives into positives.” In Christian life, this isn’t just motivational — it’s supernatural. The apostle knows that God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Sermon Illustrator+2Calvary Assembly Church+2
What that means: the pain, the setbacks, the scars — they aren’t meaningless. They become the raw materials for your new identity. The job that failed you becomes a story of God’s provision. The relationship that hurt you becomes a testimony of healing. The shame that silenced you becomes a springboard for purpose.
Yes, there are times when negativity surrounds us: culture, hardships, even our own minds fighting against hope. But one Christian writer says the way we navigate that is by being “more God than man… more truth than lies… more victory than struggle.” Ligonier Ministries
My process: struggle, surrender, strength
- Recognise the mess
I became honest — with God and with myself. I admitted that I couldn’t keep painting over the cracks. The anxiety, the shame, the feeling of being small and stuck: they had to be named. In naming them, I stopped them having power behind the scenes. - Choose surrender
I handed over my agenda — “God, this is what I wanted, this is what I hoped for, this is what I expected.” Then I let go. I released the expectation of immediate change, of perfection, of everything being fixed overnight. I said: “Your timing, your way.” - Invite transformation
Transformation is more than a change of circumstances. It’s a change of perspective: seeing that brokenness doesn’t equal a dead end, but often equals a cross-road. I began to see that God doesn’t waste pain. He redeems it. He reworks it into something new. - Walk forward in purpose
With each step, I began to do what I once thought I couldn’t. I spoke words of hope. I shared my story. I allowed myself to be vulnerable — even though that felt risky. I served others, not from a place of “look what I overcame” but “look who completed me in my weakness.” The very thing that broke me was building me.
Why this message matters
Because I know how it feels: to be in darkness, believing it’s permanent. To be convinced you’re defined by your worst day. To think “I must perform to prove I’m worthy.” But this story flips that narrative. It says: you are not who you used to be. You can be different. You can be new.
Faith still moves mountains. Redemption is still real. Jesus still changes everything. Your future isn’t determined by your past when He holds it in His hands.
And this isn’t just theory. It’s my lived reality. I used to walk in fear and shame. Now I walk in hope and purpose. I used to believe I was stuck. Now I believe I’m being sent. I used to feel like a victim. Now I know I’m a victor — not because of me, but because of Him.
Your turn: the invitation
If you’re reading this and you feel stuck — maybe the whisper in your soul is saying: “It’s not over.”
Maybe there’s a still-small voice urging: “Let me in.”
Here’s what I invite you to do:
- Sit in silence and be honest: what are you burying? What are you running from?
- Say the words: “God, I surrender this—my fear, my regret, my shame.”
- Ask Him: “Will you make something new out of this?” Expect that He will.
- Take one step of faith: share your story, serve someone else, let your heart be heard.
- Keep walking. Because transformation isn’t always instant, but it is real.
Your future: brighter than your past
God doesn’t just change your circumstances — He changes you. He changes your heart. He changes your identity. What was once negative becomes a springboard. What was once limiting becomes launching.
I believe with all my heart: the same God who lifted me from the ashes will lift you. The same God who turned my “I can’t” into “look what He did” will turn yours too. The very thing that shattered you may become the very thing that shapes you, strengthens you, and sets you on a path only He could write.
Don’t give up now. Don’t let the enemy convince you that your story is done. Your turnaround is waiting. Your freedom is ahead. If you’ll open your hands, surrender your pain, and trust His process — you won’t just survive — you’ll thrive.
Because you are not who you used to be. You’re becoming who you were meant to be.
Watch now
Experience this transformation live in my message: God took my life from negative to positive
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