On Being Used by God

It’s common for Christian people to think they are not being used by the Lord. When we have such thoughts it can easily give rise to thinking there is something wrong with us. Why am I not being used? What have I done wrong? If I am really a Christian shouldn’t something be happening in my life? Why am I being passed by? If we are having thoughts along those lines, we are not as close to Him as we would like. To draw close to Him, that question has to go. Our faith has somehow been shaken.

Such thoughts are common, but unnecessary. If the fields are white unto harvest and the laborers are few, does it not make sense that the Lord is continually looking for ways to use His people to reach the lost? I assure you, He is. When we become Christians, God immediately begins to use each of us to bring His great plan to fruition.

The problem is not that we are not being used. It is that it’s easy to overlook ways in which we are already being used. At the same time, when God does move in our lives, we don’t always  recognize that it has been God, i.e. we do not always hear His voice. It begins with God revealing things to us.

There are two issues that sometimes permit us to believe that nothing is happening. The first is that when God moves in our lives He begins in unexpected or small ways, ways that can easily be explained away. The second is that there are often gaps between times when we are used. We may not find ourselves being used each and every day and we may become concerned about that. Between times, our job is twofold, to be ready when God moves and to be positioned to hear His voice when He does move.

I would like to offer a couple of examples of how each of these two ways might come into play. They usually begin with everyday events, things that may not not immediately become noticeable. Remember, God is not in the wind, the fire, or the earthquake (1 Kings 19:11-13). He is in the still small voice. We have to be listening for His still small voice. It may not only be a still small voice, but it may also  come to us in a very unexpected way.

Let me tell about a recent thought that entered into my mind. I was not expecting God to be showing me something that might help anyone. I was just curious about something that had come up in the minds of many other people, that usually led nowhere.

For my entire Christian walk I have heard that the Apostle Paul had a physical affliction. I recently began to wonder if there was a clue as to what his affliction might have been. I wasn’t even looking for God to provide  me with an answer. For Paul to have prayed three times for the Lord to take his affliction  from him, it must have been a significant problem. It was rightly referred to as a thorn in the flesh. He didn’t like it. Whatever it had been, it was difficult for him and it stayed with him for his entire ministry.

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of

the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass

me, to keep me from becoming conceited.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord

about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for

you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the

more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For

the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians

12:7-10)

While there have been suggestions as to what his affliction had been, there is no scripture that clearly spells it out. That may have been a deliberate omission. Problems are common to all men. We all have things with which we are forced to deal and it may be easier for us to relate to Pauls’ problem when we don’t know exactly what his issue had been.

However, there are a few clues that I had never noticed. See what you think. This first verse makes it clear that, whatever it was, his problem was of a physical nature. You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first. (Galatians 4:13 ESV)

This next verse seems to be making a literal statement that Paul had written to the Galatians in his own hand with unusually large words. See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand (Galatians 6:11 ESV). It does not say that he had done it due to poor eyesight, but it does sound that way. It also sounds as if it was not his custom to write his letters to the churches himself.

He may normally have had someone else do the actual writing. Writing, itself, may have been difficult for him. It does make sense that if he was unable to see well that he might have asked someone else to do the actual writing. Paul had been assisted with his writings: I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord (Romans 16:22 NIV).

The Galatians evidently cared enough for Paul that he mentioned just how far they would have been willing to go to help him. For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me (Galatians 4:15b ESV). It does not quite say that they would have been willing to lose their own eyes so Paul could see more clearly, but that seems to be the insinuation. There a couple of clues I have noticed as to what his limitation may have been and I had read those passages many times without realizing what might be being said. They would’ve given Paul their very own eyes to help him see. What a clue!

Here is another clue. When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand (Acts 28:3 ESV). Think about that verse carefully. Paul had “gathered” a bundle of sticks. Had he picked up the entire bundle all at once, or did he pick them up a couple at a time until he had an armful? Using the word “gathered” makes it seem as if he had done it one stick at a time and yet he did not notice that he had picked up a viper. What a thing to overlook!

What might that say about his vision? He may have picked it up thinking that it was just another stick. The snake does not seem to have been disturbed by being picked up. It only bit Paul when the heat from the fire disturbed it. It was already in the fire when it struck and Paul was close enough to the fire that the snake could still bite him.

This all seems a little strange. Since it was cold, the snake may have been hibernating or at least stiff from the cold. Never-the-less Paul had it in his arms and carried to to the fire along with the sticks without being bitten. It almost seems that the viper had come alive only when the entire pile was placed on the fire. Since the snake was actually in the fire when it struck, Paul must have remained close enough  to be within striking distance.

Whatever else, Paul had not seen the snake until he was actually bitten. It may be a somewhat weak case, but perhaps poor eyesight had prevented him from seeing the snake or mistaking it for one of many sticks that he had picked up. So, had I learned what Pauls affliction had been? Possibly. However, that was not what God was showing me. It went beyond what Pauls’ affliction had been. There was a teaching in it for me!

Paul had picked up the snake while it was cold and raining and it didn’t bite him. It didn’t bite him when he got close. He actually picked it up while gathering sticks that he needed to keep himself warm and it still didn’t bite him. He even brought it to the fire with his other sticks and it didn’t bite him. Only when he put it directly in the “fire” did the trouble began. That’s when the snake felt the heat from the fire.

Only when it was subjected to the “fire” did it wake up. The snake bit him when it felt the heat of the fire! Allegorically, It’s only when we do something for God that the snake reacts. Watch for snakes (the enemy) while you are gathering wood (while you’re doing something for God). The snake will bite when it feels the heat.

As useful as understanding this incident may have been for me, it did not come all at once. I thought about it and repeatedly read the scriptures covering the incident when I first had the thought about Paul. But, I wasn’t sure what it all meant. I next took my bible to a restaurant and continued to ponder the verses over lunch. I began to see that Pauls eyesight may have been the issue. I went home still thinking about it, but not gaining much ground.

At church, that night, we were asked who was willing to give a testimony. Volunteers were stepping up slowly. So, I shared where my thinking was at that moment, even though I was aware that it was not yet complete. I was still largely thinking about Pauls eyesight. Why had he not noticed that he was picking up a snake, thinking it was a piece of wood?  But, I was getting closer.

It was only when I shared out loud to others it that the real teaching hit me. It was not about Pauls’ eyesight; it was about what happens when we invade Satans territory. He may leave us alone while we gather sticks for the fire. However, when we apply the fire, he is ready to bite us!

The most significant teaching in it for me did not come until I spoke it out. We know that teaching as the parable of the talents. If we use what God has given us, he will give us an increase. I had to use what He had already given me as a start. Only when I spoke it out, did He  give me the rest of the teaching He had for me. When it finally hit me, it came as a surprise.

It was about the parable of the talents. If we fail to use what we have been given as a start, we will lose even what we have. It was what happened to the servant who had a single talent.  He buried it, did not use it, and lost what he already had. The other two servants who had used their talents had both been given more. They had done what they could. Meanwhile, the servant who had done nothing with his talent lost even what he had been given to start with. God gives us an increase only when we have put to use what we have begun with. I had to speak out what He had already shown me; I had to put it to good use.

Just as I was actually speaking it, He showed me the main teaching of the verse in question. Had I not spoken out where I was at the moment, I may never have received the actual teaching of the story. It had begun in a very small way and it grew as I put it to use. What God was showing me was not at all what I was attempting to learn. Once I put to use what I had, it suddenly took on greater significance. It had grown.

The second principle we may overlook when asking why we are not being used by God is that while He begins in a small way (Zechariah 4:10), He may also begin quietly (1 Kings 19:12). It may begin as if a perfectly ordinary day is taking place. It may not seem like God is doing anything special.

When Elijah was sent to the widow Zarephath, he was not told that she had a need or that he would minister to her. He was only told that she would take care of him. He thought it was about his own need. Elijah had no idea what was about to happen.

The incident had begun  as if it was going to be simply a way for Elijahs’ own personal needs to be met. He was not hearing from God about anything more important than meeting his own immediate need. He was thinking about himself, not about how he was about to be used. His need for food came first. Never-the-less, he stepped up immediately and went. He had to first believe that God was speaking to him. Next he had to “go”.

He was instructed only to go. God never gives us the entire picture before we begin. That’s often my problem; I want to see the entire picture before I step out. But, God reveals things only one step at a time. Elijah eventually raised the widows son from the dead. He had stepped out to go to her not just not knowing what he was about to be asked what to do. He didn’t even know the widow had a son.

The incident would have never happened if he had not believed God and gone to her. Elijah was not given the entire picture. God never said, “I am about to use you”. What became one of the most memorable incidents in the Old Testament began as if nothing out of the ordinary was about to take place. Elijah was hungry.

Elijah had to first be obedient to a very small directive. God gradually revealed to him all that was to take place. He first had to believe God for a very small thing, one that initially seemed to be only about Elijahs own need. His motivation was actually to have his own immediate need met. He was not expecting to minister to someone else. Never-the-less,  he was ready.

Elijah had done sixteen miracles over his twenty four year prophetic ministry. In other words there was  a year and a half between miracles. That’s long enough that  he could have easily begun to question why he was not being used. Miracles are not an everyday occurrence. If they were more common, we might not look on them in the way we do when they are unexpected and rare. They are most impactful when they are uncommon.

Elijahs’ responsibility was to be ready when God called. He had much quiet time between incidents and could easily have become numb to the voice of God. However, he was hungry. He didn’t overlook that. God did not move on him in an unusual way. Whether or not he was anticipating that God was about to use him, he had not lost sight of his own needs and God moved through them to launch this incident. Even though Elijah was ready, God moved in a normal way to get his attention, irrespective of how sensitive to Gods’ voice he had been at the moment. It began when God was ready.

When God moved Joseph to Egypt ahead of the rest of the family, it was done by sending him into slavery in Egypt. The brothers were being used by God to move Joseph to the place where he could protect the family. That was done while those being used to move him there were completely unaware they were being used by God. He uses us when He chooses, whether or not we volunteer for the job at hand. You may be used  when you know nothing about it. Josephs family were completely unaware of how God was moving. Your prayer to be used can be answered in some unexpected way!

Look for God to begin using you in some small way. Just because it does not seem to be an earth shaking beginning, it may still be God beginning to move in your life. Look to Him to begin small and quietly. If you are expecting an earthquake, you may never hear God speaking to you. I promise He is speaking to you. Learn to listen closely and step out when you hear the still small voice. He will reveal one step at a time what He is doing in your life.