Philemon 1:10-11 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
Was there a time in your life that you were deemed unprofitable? Have you ever failed, or worse, failed others? Perhaps you tried to start a ministry, and nothing happened. Maybe you tried to start a business, and nothing. Everywhere you looked, whatever you tried to do, there was failure.
There was man named Onesimus, and at one time the scripture called him unprofitable. In other words, he was of no use. He was of no use to Paul and to the ministry. But something happened. The scripture says that Onesimus left, but when he came back, he was profitable to work alongside Paul. He became so valuable, that Paul says that he is his beloved brother and asked Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would receive Paul.
Imagine that, Onesimus at one time unprofitable, left the scene, and upon his return was profitable to the ministry, to the Apostle Paul and to the Body of Christ.
If there was a time in your life that you have failed, lift up your eyes. There is hope. God can restore your failures. Just as Onesimus left for a season, this season turned out to be one of maturity and growth.
Perhaps you find yourself in a season of refinement and you are walking through the fire. If you find yourself here, rejoice, because as you walk through the fire, you will come out approved and more valuable then when you left.
