1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
When Samuel went looking for the next king of Israel under God’s direction, he made the same mistake many of us make—he leaned on his own understanding. He looked at one of Jesse’s sons, tall and strong in stature, and assumed surely he must be the one God had chosen. But just like 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, God isn’t impressed by what people can see. He’s not scanning for perfection on the outside—He’s after the heart.
Isaiah 55:9 (NLT) tells us, “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” That means God’s perspective is on a whole different level that we can’t even comprehend. We’ve all made choices we wish we could take back—mistakes, missteps, and detours that have shaped parts of our life’s story. These weren’t surprises to our Heavenly Father. He wrote a plan for your victory before you ever walked through what looked like defeat. His purpose for your life isn’t fragile—it’s redemptive. He knows how to take every crooked place and make it count for something greater.
But some of the individuals that watched you live through heartbreak and hard lessons were not kind to you as you wrestled with those challenges privately. They formed opinions—some harsh, some unfair—that were based on pieces of our story they don’t fully understand. But here’s the truth you must remember: their perception doesn’t define your purpose. And your past doesn’t cancel out God’s plan.
Let’s be honest, people are quick to judge based on what they’ve seen or heard. But people don’t get the final say—God does.
If you’ve given your life to Christ, God doesn’t define you by your past, and that’s good news indeed. He sees Christ in you. He sees who you’re becoming in Him. Just because you veered off course doesn’t mean He won’t bring you back to the path He prepared for you. It may come with a few hard lessons, but the promise still stands.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT) says, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” God will never disappoint us. What the enemy meant for evil, our Heavenly Father will turn around for your good. He’s not finished with you. Your story isn’t over—and it definitely doesn’t end in defeat. So lift your chin, straighten your back, and hold on to hope. God’s plans for you are still unfolding, and He’s going to get the glory out of it all. No problem is too big for Him to redeem. Trust Him. Walk with Him. And remember: your happy ending is still coming. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Your Story Isn’t Over”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.