Let God Use You (Yes, you!)

We hear these words in church “Let God use you” and I think sometimes the next immediate thought after hearing this is “Who, me?” We say, “there is no way God wants to use me, ME?” “I’m too bad, my life is a mess, I’m too busy”

I was blessed with musical gifts.

I was hesitant to be involved in worship, let alone become the worship leader for the church I grew up in.

God will use you if you let him

Exodus 3:10–12 CSB

10 therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I am the one who sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.”

I saw myself as different, too cool for regular church stuff, and I also felt that I wasn’t good enough for God. Like I would one day decide to be good and just stop sinning.

None of this stopped God from using me when I let him lead me.

You are not too…

Sinful, Bad, Ugly, Talent-less, Sick, Tired, Scared, Busy, Broken

To let God use you

Romans 3:21–24 CSB

21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets. 22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

I used to say to myself, “maybe one day Ill be good enough to be more like Jesus

I used to get scared that I would loose who I really am or that others would see me as weak

I used to say that I wasn’t qualified, because yeah sure I could sing and play but I didn’t have the first clue how to be a worship leader

I’m too busy, I have so much stuff I have to do. But really I knew that my church family, being such loving people, would forgive me for not showing up.

Im too broken, and its God’s fault because he didn’t save me the way I thought he would or he didn’t do what I wanted him to do and now im too messed up in my head, my heart to do anything for God or anyone else. Im shutting down and healing.

Are there qualifications for being a servant, leader or pastor in the church? Yes!

1 Timothy 3:1–13 CSB

1 This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” 2 An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not an excessive drinker, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy. 4 He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s trap. 8 Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must also be tested first; if they prove blameless, then they can serve as deacons. 11 Wives, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, faithful in everything. 12 Deacons are to be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently. 13 For those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Letting God use you can be costly, and it can be easy to find an excuse not to follow Jesus

Matthew 8:18–22 CSB

18 When Jesus saw a large crowd around him, he gave the order to go to the other side of the sea. 19 A scribe approached him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 “Lord,” another of his disciples said, “first let me go bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

There is a cost to following Jesus.

You might loose friends.

You might be slandered and gossiped about

I have had friends lie to me because they were ashamed to tell me the dark truths they were hiding

Sometimes people treat you differently because they think they will be judged or that you are too delicate to hear the truth

God is not only the God of the mountain, he is also the God of the valley

Psalm 23:4 CSB

4 Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.

How often we forget what God did and that it was him who did it when we are winning in life

How quick we are to blame God when life doesn’t go our way

Sometimes God calls us in those dark, painful moments and it is far too easy to say, “I’m just not ready, I can’t do it”, but I have often found that those moments are the times I have been able to see and understand God better than any time I have been on a mountain.

Luke 22:39–44 CSB

39 He went out and made his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he told them, “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.” 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. 44 Being in anguish, he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

I didn’t want to go to the men’s retreat the 2nd time

God put me in the path of people that were walking in the valley I had just gone through.

You can’t, God can, will you let him?

If I didn’t go to the men’s retreat, I don’t have that convo with Johnny

If I don’t know Johnny I wouldn’t have done CR

If I wouldn’t have done CR I wouldn’t have met the people or had the opportunities It has given me.

You are not too broken for God

In the end, God works for your good

Romans 8:28 CSB

28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.