God knows we’re NOT perfect. But He created us with specific plans in mind for our lives.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
In fact, many of The Bible’s greatest history makers had some of the most DAMAGED lives.
Moses The Misfit
When he was just a baby, Moses’ family had to GIVE HIM UP and ship him down the river.
He was raised in the palace, but he didn’t FIT IN. When he tried to go back to his own people, they didn’t ACCEPT him either because he’d killed a man.
Moses was a MURDERER and an outcast, exiled to the desert for 40 years. (How could God possibly use him?)
It’s Good To Be King!
King David had everything; power, wives and all the “bling”. But he had a big PORNOGRAPHY problem.
He liked to sit on the roof and WATCH all the girls taking baths. Eventually, he had a married woman brought to him.
When she became pregnant, David sent her husband to the front lines of battle to be KILLED, just to cover his own sin. (This was the man after God’s own heart?)
Before He Was Paul
Saul went around KILLING every Christian he could find. (He would do anything to stop the proclaiming of The Word of Christ.)
These are God’s great Bible HEROES???
- Noah was a DRUNK!
- Isaiah preached NAKED!
- Timothy was too YOUNG!
- Gideon was AFRAID!
- Rahab was a PROSTITUTE!
- Elijah was SUICIDAL!
- Jonah RAN from God!
And Lazarus was DEAD…but Jesus used him anyway!!!
God Has A Glorious Future For Us!
When we mess up, Gods wants us to run TO Him…not away from him.
“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
He is the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our faith.
No matter how we BEGAN, if we’ll put our story in God’s hands, He has written for us a fabulous FINISH!
Prayer For Today
“Father God, thank you, that before You formed us in the womb You knew how You would use our damaged lives to make us into HEROES for Christ! In Jesus’ name.”
What About You?
Do you have a story that you want to share about how God has used the valleys in your life to take you to the mountain tops? It would be such an encouragement to us all!
WOW! I know God can use me despite my damage and despite my insecurities. You have placed gifts in me that will be used for your glory and I will exceed my best every day through you. : )
When I was in high school the drama class was holding auditions for the crucible. I was excited and nervous at the same time, I really wanted to this. So I went and audition a few days later I went back to the classroom and found a list of all the characters on the door. My name was not on the list, but teacher wrote down at the bottom if our name wasn’t on the list she wanted to see us during rehearsal. A couple of weeks into rehearsal the girl who was supposed to play Martha Corey dropped out because she didn’t like the part. There was no one left to play her part. So my teacher chose me. But I believe God wanted me to play the part of Martha Corey. Before god chose me to play that role I was just sitting in a chair during rehearsal. I didn’t know what I was doing I had never been in a play before. But God chose me to play that part for a reason and I am so glad that he did. When I look back on the whole experience I am glad that God chose me because I was doing something new.
What an amazing story, Cheryl! This proves that not only does God know the desires of our hearts, He longs to give them to us. 🙂