Called and Equipped

Have you ever felt led by God to join Him is His redemptive work, but feel you have failed God too many times to be of use? Do you look at your past or current state and think, “I don’t have a right to champion this cause because I have sinned far too much?” Friend, I have amazing news for you! Good News. GREAT news!

In light of our current climate, I want to use standing up for racial equality as an example, because it is near to my heart. Please don’t stop reading now. We all need to hear this, because it relates to whatever arena God has called you into. The Bible says “there are different ways to serve, and they all come from the same Lord.” (1 Corinthians 12:4)

Contrary to the lie the devil is telling you, you don’t have to have a perfect track record on race relations to take a firm stand now. None of us are perfect, and each of us— white, black, brown, “tan,” as my kids call themselves—are sinful by nature, bending toward freshly biases. We’ve all made, and will keep making, choices that go against God’s way. It’s what we do as humans, we rebel and turn from God. Trust me, I can say with zeal, “I am the chief of sinners,” yet God still graciously uses me. (1 Tim 1:15)

BUT GOD has so lovingly given us, through His Holy Spirit, wisdom and discernment so we can ask Him to squash our sinful ways. Praise God! He can use us for His Kingdom regardless of our wretched heart! He can show us our wicked ways (Psalm 139:23-24) so we can slowly but surely become more like Him…and less like us.

Being limited in our ability to choose God over self is the just the stark reality of being alive. We are flawed beings who serve a flawless God, and rely solely on his saving grace each moment. It’s why we ask God DAILY to show mercy on us, and forgive us for our trespasses, because we ALL are trespassing against one another in some way. But, this doesn’t mean God can’t equip and use you. He has called you to step out of the darkness and into the light! (1 Peter 2:9) We are to call the devil a liar when he tells us we aren’t good enough for God to use!

It’s never too late do the right thing. I don’t care if you have been a blatant sinner against the very thing God has now called you to. Repent and WALK BOLDLY IN THAT CALL. I say this from personal experience. Never believe the lie that you aren’t equipped to be used for His service. It is not only in large, well-planned, church-organized times God uses His children. It is in the small moments in honest acts of love in action that God makes His biggest impact.

I’m so thankful, and also abhorred, when God shows me my sin and helps me correct course, because that’s not where my story ends. In fact, it’s the only place it can begin.

Be blessed, y’all! ❤️🙏🏾🕯