All of us, at some point in our lives, have had some form and type of stain or the other. It could be a physical stain, a mental stain, an emotional stain, or a spiritual stain. The stain remains in our conscience. Some of us carry longer, deeper and darker stains than others, but a stain is a stain, and we need to get rid of it, so that it does not stop us from finding our purpose and building it. We don’t want to, and we should not, at all, give our stains, power to prevent and paralyze us from thriving and excelling in our unique, God-given purpose.

These stains come in all colors, shapes, sizes and types, and leave their horrendous marks on us.

• Some were created knowingly, some were caused unknowingly.
• Some were created by life happening.
• Some were caused by life not happening.
• Some were caused by past relationships and friendships.
• Some were created and caused by family.
• Some were caused by jobs.

There are two that are the worst kind, in my opinion. First, are the ones caused through personal trust and vulnerability, and second, the ones that make us beat ourselves up, “How could I have been so stupid?” The  violation took place with the speed of lightening, and we were unprepared for it.  There are those, perhaps the deepest, caused by the most trusted people, that we still hurt from, no matter what, and we wish it didn’t,  that it would just disappear. But it always becomes triggered by something or someone, no matter how deeply we try to bury it.

These stains appear to be never ending, persistent, and permanent , and make us feel like nauseating filth, filled with shame and guilt, weeping deep within, unable to reveal their ugly existence. They are stubborn, and they take their abode in the deepest parts of our beings, deeply rooting themselves in our hearts, minds, souls and spirit. They are usually created through mental, spiritual, verbal and physical abuse and violation by others, and are also, the consequences and effects of the bad decisions and mistakes we make in life. The question is, should we sit down and be a victim of these stains, or should we rise up and be more than conquerors, ridding ourselves from them?

Somewhere in the dungeons of our darkest pain, shame and guilt, we have to decide to restore our lives, our worth, our value and our self-dignity. Somewhere along the way we have to know that we have the right to live, thrive and excel. We have to wade through, and swim to the surface, away from the stains that we have suffered; some self-imposed, some people-imposed. We have to come to the realization that no matter who or what caused the stain, our role, is to get rid of it, and not give a whole lifetime to a thing that has no rightful place in our lives.

You know, my friend, my brother, my sister, my acquaintance, stranger, there is a way for us to gradually, slowly, thoroughly, properly and eventually clean up and be free of our stains.

The best way to do that is to find and build our divine purpose. We need divine assistance to do so. There is a divine plan beyond the stains; one that knows our past, present and future, and one that will lead us to a good end. This plan has a blueprint that has already taken into account what has happened to us, the price we are paying for the stain it’s left within us, and what kind of future lies ahead of us, if we choose to, or not choose to, get rid of the stain, and follow divine purpose. It will strengthen us to conquer these seemingly unshakable stains, and give us the power, courage and wisdom to carry out our divine purpose and blueprint.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” –  Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

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