“Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” 1 Corinthians 1:27 (NLT)
God can’t use me. I’m flawed.
I have too much baggage.
I don’t have enough money. I’m not pretty enough. I’m not smart enough. I’ve made too many mistakes….
How many times have we told ourselves that we’re not good enough for God?
The truth is, God specializes in using broken vessels.
Rehab, a prostitute, saved Israelite spies from the men of Jericho and became a part of Jesus’ lineage. Moses, a murderer, delivered the children of Israel from Egypt. David, an adulterer, was considered a man after God’s own heart. A talking donkey saved the prophet from being killed by the Angel of the Lord. Paul, a persecutor of Christians, went on to write about two-thirds of the New Testament.
So what’s holding you back? I challenge you to go beyond your own limitations today. Give God the broken pieces of your life. The weaknesses you are ashamed of are the perfect message of His grace. He is able to use the mess of your life and turn it into a message of hope for someone else.
You have a unique story of God’s grace to share with those who find themselves in similar situations. When you become transparent about God’s love and acceptance in spite of your flaws, it inspires others to believe. So go beyond your own limitations today and give the gift of hope. Someone is waiting on what you have to offer.
God, we recognize today that You take the foolish things of this world to confound us all. It is so apparent that Your thoughts are not our thoughts and Your ways are not our ways. What we see as hopeless, You see as life-giving. Help us to see as You see. Help us to go beyond our own imperfections and see Your hand of grace in our lives. As we do, help us to use that same grace to impact the lives of others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
As a step of faith, reach out to someone in need today and share a message of hope through a smile or a kind deed. People are looking for the love of God, and it begins with each of us as believers.
By Mary Pinckney
used by permission
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