Have you convinced yourself that you’re just going to have to get your life together before God can really use you to serve others? In I Corinthians 12:6, Paul tells us something quite different as he says that “God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.” In essence, the source of the service God calls us to is not rooted in our own power, but in God’s power.
In Philippians 2:13, Paul again reminds believers that it is “God working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.” So our ability to serve God and others isn’t based on our will-power to avoid sin, but rather it is dependent on our willingness to surrender to God, and allow Him to cleanse and empower us.
I saw this beautifully illustrated the other day as I was talking with a friend who has overcome great struggles in her marriage—we’ll call her Jane. Seven years ago, Jane’s husband had an extra-marital affair, but because of his repentant heart and their commitment to allow God to heal and restore, their marriage survived. In fact, Jane would tell you that, in many ways, their marriage has actually thrived! Still there are times when her anger from that situation revisits her. The day we of our conversation was one of those days, and she was wrestling with some memories that flared her anger and resentment.
As she was driving to her Bible Study that morning, she had asked God to somehow bring glory to Himself through marital struggles, and to help her forgive her husband once again—even though she didn’t really want to. After her study her Bible Study leader, who knew about Jane’s struggles, introduced her to a woman who recently discovered that her husband had been unfaithful and was considering ending her marriage.
Jane, who has the gifts of encouragement and wisdom, was able to offer the woman hope and truth from God’s Word about His ability to restore. Jane prayed with her, and together they asked God to give the woman the endurance to keep fighting for her marriage. In spite of Jane’s struggles, God was at work that day because she submitted to His power and allowed Him to work through her. Interestingly, she shared with me that through the words, verses, and prayers she offered this young woman, she also encouraged herself!
Hard work, yes. But God had been faithful.
That’s the kind of God we serve. A God who takes our pain and reluctance and turns it into powerful hope for ourselves and others. All we have to do is allow Him into the situation by whispering a brief prayer or opening our hearts to His transforming Word. We don’t have to fix ourselves before we can be useful to God; He is just looking for a surrendered, willing heart and a believer who is eager to serve, despite her own brokenness.
Serving God through serving others often requires one part grit and one part grace. Our hard work and “grit” is our surrender to Him, making the decision to be obedient. But His grace is what empowers us to carry out the task He’s calling us to do.
Gideon’s story, found in Judges 6, is another prime example of the way that God’s transforming power fuels our service. When the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and told him to go and rescue Israel from the tyranny of the Midianites, Gideon’s response was basically “Who me?? I’m a pathetic nobody!” Gideon drug his feet and tested God three times to make sure that God really meant to use him, but God was merciful in His affirmation of Gideon’s call. God assured Gideon that He would do the work, if only Gideon would be obedient to go.
In Judges 6:34 we see that the Spirit of the Lord empowered Gideon, and Gideon issued a call to arms—a bold move that set in motion a chain of events resulting in an attack on the Midianites by a small army of only 300 Israelites. Interestingly, when the Israelites blew the ram’s horn and attacked, they didn’t even have to fight the Midianites. God caused the Midianites to have such confusion that they turned on one another! Israel’s victory was entirely due to God’s intervention through Gideon’s faithful obedience.
Grit and grace.
One would not normally consider Gideon to have the gift of faith, but when God empowered him, Gideon and his forces were unstoppable.
When God calls us to serve and we are obedient, despite our fear, doubt, or pain, He empowers us to do great things. In our weakness, His power is made perfect!
Caroline Saunders
Caroline Saunders is a writer, advocate of uncoolness, mother to two objectively adorable humans, and wife to Luke, a pastor and Aaron Rodgers look-alike. She uses her powers convincing her children not to be monsters, influencing women towards Jesus, eating guacamole, and creating a women's retreat experience called Story & Soul Weekend (storyandsoulweekend.com) with her besties. She can be found oversharing at WriterCaroline.com and on Instagram at @writercaroline.