The Lord's been prompting me to write on the topic of being flawed. So many times I find myself not living up to what I want to be...as a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend. I constantly see where I fall short. I know I'm a work in progress. But I also know God can use us for the good just like we are.
As I've been studying David in the Bible, I've come to see how God uses anyone to do His work. ANYONE. David was a shepherd...God made him king. David was a young boy...he slayed a giant. David was pursued by Saul's army...God hid him for His purposes. Continually David sees how the covering of the Lord and the favor of the Lord rests on Him. David was flawed. He murders, he lies, he sleeps with another man's wife...and so many other things. But the Lord saw his repentant heart. The Lord saw his consistent praise. And God continued to use him.
There are women throughout the Bible who are prostitutes, adulterers, gossips, the list goes on...but God uses them. It's not about what you've done. It's about where your heart is.
You see, I used to think that being a good person meant that I loved Jesus. Because if you love Jesus, you don't do bad things. That's insane. The Bible is full of people who did bad things, and God used them despite their pasts, their baggage, their crud. God is a radical life changer.
The Lord changes our hearts first. Then out of the heart, the rest of the life is changed. And it's not immediate that everything is changed. It's a lifetime. He works on one thing at a time. And then when that gets changed, He moves on to another area in your heart to work on. I've known the Lord since I was 5, and He's still working on me...Praise Jesus! I'm a flawed person. I'm not going to be perfect. I'm just working day by day to listen to His prodding of what I need to change. And I can tell you that some things He's been working on for a loooooooong time. It's a constant process. But I do know that I'm not where I want to be, but I'm better than I used to be. God still uses this flawed wife, mom, daughter, sister, and friend to do His work. Despite all my shortcomings...He still uses me. You are usable. You are worthy. You are a child of the King.
1 Samuel 16:7
"For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."
Philippians 1:6
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."
Love that Sarah. I think it gives great relief to people to realize that we are a work in progress and that God can use us even when we are bad in our eyes.
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