We throw a lot of things away.

The average American throws away three to four pounds of trash per day.

Howstuffworks.com states, “Let’s assume that there are 300 million people living in the United States. This means that, in one year, 300 million people, each producing 3.5 pounds of trash per day, create something like 18,433,779,281 cubic feet of trash, which is a lot. If you made the pile 400 feet deep (as tall as a 40-story building), it would cover more than 1,000 acres of land.” https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/one-giant-landfill.htm

However, we throw things away (all the time) that can be reused, repurposed, or recycled.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper. There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? Matthew 26:6-8

The disciples, God’s chosen men, said, “To what purpose is this waste?”

What does WASTE mean?

WASTE is:

  • Anything that we think we no longer have a use for and so we throw it away.
  • Useless or profitless activity; using or expending carelessly.
  • A trait of wasting or squandering resources.

I have known a lot of people who have walked away from high-paying jobs to become a pastor. To some people, they are wasting their life and squandering their talent. But, what does God say about their choice? Which opinion matters most?

While attending Bible College, I had friends who were excommunicated by their family because they decided to answer a call on their life.

I have seen people scoff at someone’s past, judging them for their mistakes, only to see God anoint them, give them favor, and elevate them to a position far beyond their talent and ability.

God can take the opinion you have of yourself, or the opinions other’s have of you, and the parts of your life that you consider to be garbage and make something beautiful out of your life.

There are things that may have happened in your life that you may have written off completely… you may think, “Wow – my life – What a WASTE!” Maybe you’ve tried to forget or throw away bits and pieces of your life because of shame, guilt, or regret… but if you would come to God and give Him all the broken pieces – He can create you into a brand new person.

God doesn’t want you to throw one page of your story away. There is a purpose through your pain.

Here are some pretty cool recycling facts:

  • 25 two liter pop bottles can be recycled into an adult-size fleece jacket.
  • Recycling 1 glass bottle can run a 100 watt light bulb for 4 hours.
  • Half of all polyester carpet manufactured in the US is made from recycled soda bottles.
  • Recycled plastic is also made into plastic lumber, clothing, flower pots, insulation for sleeping bags and ski jackets, car bumpers..
  • Recycling one aluminum can saves enough electricity to power a t.v for 3 hours.
  • Recycled aluminum is made into cans, pie pans, house siding, small appliances, lawn furniture.
  • Recycling one pound of steel can power a 60watt light bulb for over a day.
  • In one year in the US the recycling of steel saves enough energy to heat and light 20,000,000 homes.
  • Recycling a single run of the Sunday New York Times would save 75,000 trees.

I am not here as a recycling advocate, even though I think it’s important. What’s my point? We throw away things all the time that no longer have any value to us.

I’m THANKFUL that God takes the garbage in our life and recycles it. I’m thankful He can take our hurt, our pain, our shortcomings and reuse it to give us a greater sensitivity in the spirit, God can reuse it to bring a greater anointing in our lives. BUT HE NEEDS ALL THE PIECES.

Ask Yourself:

  • What have you been keeping in?
  • What have you been saving up?
  • What do you need to crush to allow the perfume and beauty of inner life flow through you?
  • What needs to be broken so you can go to a new level of worship and praise in God?

You were created for a purpose.

There are things that may have happened in your life that you may have written off completely… you may think, “Wow, my life is a WASTE! That year was a waste.” Maybe you’ve tried to forget or throw bits and pieces of your life away because of shame, guilt, or regret. But if you would come to God and give Him all the broken pieces, He can bring restoration into your life.

 

Author

Angela Overton is a lover of words, nature, and coffee. She is an ordained minister with the UPCI, has a Masters Degree in Theology, and loves to teach Bible studies. She and her amazing husband, Michael, pastor in Silver Spring, Maryland.

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