Savage2Saint Sobriety May 21, 2026

Since we are now joined to Christ, we have been given the treasures of redemption by his blood - the total cancellation of our sins - all because of the cascading riches of his grace. - Ephesians 1:7 (TPT).

What does it mean to be redeemed? For some, being redeemed means to trade in a winning lottery ticket or mailing in a "proof of purchase" to receive a rebate. For others, redemption means a comeback story. An underdog who beats the favorite against all odds. But for the formerly bound, bruised, and broken people of the world, being redeemed means something completely different. It represents a treasure that at one time seemed unattainable to them because the guilt and shame they carried from their past held them hostage and wouldn't allow them to move forward.

To some of us, being redeemed represents being free, healed, and restored.

Redemption is not just something that happens for some people and not others. Redemption is what happens when Jesus sets you free and you begin trusting Him with all your tomorrows! But let this serve as a reminder to everyone who struggles with guilt and shame: When you've been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, you are no longer the sum of all your failures! You no longer have to carry the weight of past mistakes or failed relationships. You no longer have to be held captive by things that you have no power to change or erase. It means having a clean slate, not so we can keep looking back, but so we can continue moving forward.

Your past wasn't wasted time; it was the very path that led you straight to Jesus.

All of the mistakes, all of the failures, all of the stuff you wish you could erase are the very things God used to shape you into the resilient person you are today. The resilient person that He can use, because being redeemed is not just about the Lord covering your past, it's about Jesus transforming you and your future into the person He created you to be. Those are the treasures of redemption that our key verse speaks of. It means no longer having to walk through life in fear, burdened by guilt and shame, or haunted with regret.

Being redeemed is the permission you need to forgive yourself.

Yes, being redeemed means something a little different to everyone, but for some of us, it's definitely worth smiling about. God Bless!