From Failure to Forgiven:

Casey Diaz, Author of "The Shot Caller" 

    If you met Casey Diaz today, you would never have guess where he came from. He's a man with a powerful story of transformation and how God can work in someone's life. Growing up, Casey started hanging around the wrong crowd and eventually joined a violent gang. His life was filled with violence and crime, a path that led to his incarceration for murder. His life was out of control and it seemed like there was no one who would be able to help turn it around. Many thought Casey Diaz was a lost cause, beyond hope.

     Surprisingly it was in prison that Casey's life would have a turn around. It was there that Casey heard about Jesus and made the decision to accept Him as his Lord and Savior. That decision was not about getting a good report before the parole board, or doing what everyone was wanting him to do. For Casey it was about totally surrendering his life to God and becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. It was a decision that changed the reset of his life. Today, Casey is out of prison and is a pastor, and he is busy sharing the same gospel that changed his life so other lives might be changed as well. 

    Casey’s story is a powerful testimony to the second chances God offers. History is filled with stories just like Casey's. Stories of forgiveness and restoration. It’s a theme woven throughout the entire Bible. The scriptures are filled with accounts of individuals who failed miserably, yet God restored them and used them for His purposes.  The entire narrative of the Bible is about the reconciliation of mankind back to God.

    One of the most profound examples of this is the story of the Apostle Peter. Several days after Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection, Peter was haunted by guilt and shame. He felt washed up and a complete and total failure. He was tormented by the memory of denying Christ, not just once, or twice, but three times. The third time Peter was asked if he was one of Jesus's disciples, Peter began cursing seeking to prove that he is absolutely not one of his disciples. You see it wasn't to long ago that Peter had proudly declared that even if everyone else abandoned Jesus, he never would. But in a moment of fear, he failed. It was a failure that was eating him up. 

   When Jesus rose from the grave he called for his disciples and then made it clear he wanted to see Peter as well. Peter had talked with Jesus but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was unusable. How could Jesus use him after he had failed so greatly. He felt defeated and believed he couldn't be fully restored. So, when he and the other disciples were waiting to meet Jesus at the Sea of Galilee, Peter decided to go fishing. Fishing wasn't just a hobby for Peter; it was his old career. In essence, he was saying, "I'm going back to what I used to do because I am no longer useful to Jesus". He went out all night and caught absolutely nothing, perhaps thinking to himself, "I'm a failure as a disciple, and now I'm a failure as a fisherman, too". I can only imagine how Peter must have felt as the sun was coming up and he had nothing in his net after a night of fishing. 

    But as they were coming ashore, Jesus was there, waiting with a fire and breakfast already cooking. After they had eaten, Jesus took the time to restore Peter, who at this point was a broken man.

“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' He said to him a second time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Tend my sheep.' He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, 'Do you love me?' and he said to him, 'Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep.'” (John 21:15-17)

    Jesus's actions were deliberate and intentional. He didn't come to shame Peter; He came to restore him. By asking him three times, Jesus was directly addressing Peter’s three denials. He was telling Peter that he was forgiven, and not only that, but he was still needed for a greater purpose. God still had a plan for Peter's life.

    This is the beautiful truth we need to remember: God can and does use broken people to do great things. Look throughout scripture and you will find broken men and women who were used mightily by God. Look to Moses who was a murderer; yet God used him to free His people. Look to David who sinned greatly with Bathsheba; yet God says he was a man after God's own heart. Look to Paul who had attacked the early church and was there watching over the death of Stephen; yet God reached Paul on the Damascus road and Paul became the apostle to the gentiles! Like Peter, we all have things in our past that we’re not proud of. We have all sinned, and fallen off  God's path for our life. We’ve had our shortcomings, and there have been moments when we felt like we couldn't be used by God, or that we should just give up.

    But we serve a God of second chances. We might know we are forgiven and loved, but still feel like Jesus can’t or won’t use us because of our failures. We need to accept that God can indeed use you, despite your past. No matter what you have done, you can be forgiven and restored. God still has a plan and a purpose for you life; despite how you have failed in the past. 

    It doesn't matter what you think about yourself or what others think about you. The only thing that matters is what God thinks. Because of His great love for us, we can be forgiven and restored. So, don't let your past defeat you, and don't let the devil have the last word in your story!

Practical Applications for Your Life

    Confess and Surrender Your Past to God. You cannot move forward until you have dealt with the guilt and shame holding you back. Just as Peter encountered Jesus, you can go to the Lord, confess your sins, and trust that the God of second chances will give you one. This isn't just about feeling better; it's about a spiritual act of surrendering to God's authority and grace.

    Embrace Forgiveness as a Reality. Forgiveness is not something you earn; it is a gift freely given by God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for all our failures and sins. Think of it like this; Jesus knew all the sins you ever committed and will ever commit and He still willingly embraced the cross for you. Your sin did not catch Jesus off guard, it came by no surprise to Him. If Jesus was willing to die in your place for all your sins, don't you think He will forgive you and restore you. The answer is YES!  By putting your faith in Him, you are not only forgiven but made into a new creation. Stop dwelling on your past and start living in the freedom of your new identity in Christ.

    Stop Listening to the Devil and Your Own Guilt. Just like Peter, you may hear voices that tell you you're a failure and that you're unusable. These voices are lies. The devil is the "accuser" who wants to keep you defeated. He wants you to feel unforgiven and abandoned. Your feelings of shame are real, but they are not the ultimate truth. The truth is found in God's Word, which says you can be forgiven, restored, and used for His purposes.

    Accept Your New Purpose. Don't go back to your old way of life out of a sense of defeat. Jesus didn't just forgive Peter; He gave him a new purpose to "feed His sheep." God has a purpose for you, too. No matter how broken you feel, He wants to use your story and your life for His glory. He can use your failure to bring hope to others and demonstrate His power to restore. Find God's purpose for your life and begin walking in it.