“God Can’t Use Me”
I had lunch with a friend a few months ago who said, "I don't think I'm qualified to be used by God... my past is too littered with some bad stuff..." Is he really disqualified? Can we have a past that is so bad that God can simply be fed up and be done with us? Is your past so bad you don't even feel worthy to step foot into a church? What giants in your past or present are you facing?
This past weekend we talked about the story of King David (the dude who flung a rock at the giant Goliath and killed him....yep, that guy.) Here's a few points that can give us all hope:
- David was an adulterer and murderer yet God still used him
- The Bible says: "There is none good, no not one." Romans 3:10 We're all in the same boat with David... we've screwed up, we still struggle with temptations and challenges in our lives... but we can still be used by God for His ultimate purpose.
- God doesn't disqualify failures, He chooses failures.... Jesus works through failures
- After we mess up, we start "branding" ourselves... loser... adulterer...
- Failure is universal.... confession is rare... "We have a greater fear of looking bad than being bad." Just recently a former politician finally revealed he fathered a daughter after video-taped denials over the past few years...
- "Your right standing with God depends on your confession not on your performance..." God is about second chances... for all of us...
What part of your past do you feel like is holding you back to taking on the next challenge? Where do you feel disqualified or unworthy to serve or be part of what God may have for you?
You matter to God. You can be used by God...today. Still wonder if there is a God or if He really cares? Keep pressing in and asking questions... you're welcomed here.
Things to do
Archives
- January 2012
- October 2011
- September 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
February 23rd, 2010 - 10:49
When you want to do great things for God and it seems like He keeps using the same person or others around you all the time, what do you do?
March 7th, 2010 - 20:55
Hey Joanne:
I’m taking a stab a bit here at you question, I may be missing the context a bit…
In my past, I know I’ve been frustrated with wanting to feel like I was doing more or what I was doing seemed insignificant… After being frustrated for several months, I had to tell myself, “Be faithful in the things and the people God has put in my life today…” I thought I should be doing more, but I realized God wanted me to be faithful in what and who was already in my life…. whether that was one person, or twenty…
If God’s using others around you, that’s something worth celebrating.
Other times in my life I’ve felt like I was trying to “force” something or create some scenario in ministry that God would use and bless. Again, I made this about me. In the book Experiencing God, it recommends “look for where God is already at work and join that effort”… I can easily slip back into “create” mode which is usually my own effort which equates to a pretty small result rather than having God leading me.
Not sure if any of this connects to what your question was, but that’s been my experience. I pray that God will bring clarity into your purpose for you life and what your next steps are. Mark Meyer
March 19th, 2010 - 12:06
I do not understand many things that you have written. Neither am I in a mood to understand. For 20 years my life has been drowning more and more, making me always long for my past which was always better than my present. Now I have loist everythinbg inmy life, I have crossed marriageable age and I am unmarried woman, cheated by people, I messed up falling into some people’s traps, my career did not go as per my ambitions even though even at this age I worked much harder, people who promised to take care of my carer have now become my enemies, becasue of depression iwas suffering from head ache for 15 months, which has only worsened last 1 year after I was put to severe shock by one person, I also did mistakes and cried and cried to god for y helplessness,the lst is endless. Now I desperatelyt want my past few years back where I messed up and made things go completely out of my hand. My mind is not resting in peace even for one minute, I go to temples and cry everyday, but day only moves on. I know past cannot come back, not even god can change the past. But I cannot accept and console myself. I had suffered so much and each time I have only accepted. This time I cannot accept and I ask god to end my life if He cannot change my past. Ia min no mood to move on as I am feeling very very sick. I have given God only 2 choices, either he correscts my past and give a good life at the age I am in now or He gives me death. Please tell me how do I communicate with god about this? I am tired of talking and crying to Him everyday and every moment. People tell me God has some other plans for me, I am tired of this and I do not want any ohtert plan. I always accepted God’s plans and I am very much suffering.
April 5th, 2010 - 09:40
Joanne:
I am so sorry to hear about the pain in your life. In my experiences, (a failed business, a runaway daughter, being on the bring of financial disaster, a marriage that was on the brink of divorce) God wants to “redeem” our past or “use” to either help others or to bring life change. Jesus himself was mocked, spit upon, crucified… If anyone could have changed circumstances or his past, it certainly would have been Him. This doesn’t help you right now in this moment I’m guessing. You matter to God, your future matters to God. I think it’s a powerful prayer to God to be completely honest with Him… “God, what am I supposed to do with my past? If I’m still here, what is the purpose in my life? Please bring people into my life that can help me take steps because I can’t do it on my own.”
I will be praying for you that God will do these things. Also, I recommend getting additional help… I’ve benefited from seeing a few different counselors over the years to help me process past pain and how to deal with the relationships in my life. If you are in the Michiana area, I can give you a name you could start with through the church as a first step. Many years of pain may take some time to unravel and God has blessed people with the gift to help people navigate through this.
You matter Joanne, I will be praying for you along with others. Mark
April 7th, 2010 - 23:07
Meera- sorry but I put “JoAnne” in the response, had a few posts I responded to there… My apologies… Mark