God uses it all.

What makes your Heart Sing? #4 

In living out our purpose, I have found that God uses everything—our strengths, talents, education, and the tough stuff—sometimes the stuff we do not want anyone else to know. There is empathy and understanding, an ability to relate to the pain of shared experiences, which fosters compassion and knocks down judgment of others as well. I think of Joseph from the Old Testament, (Genesis 37-50), who was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery because they wanted ‘the favored one’ out of the way, out of their lives. Joseph’s trials, his extreme difficulties, which continued upon his eventual arrival to the palace in Egypt, served to shape the man of God he became—a man with the most unique purpose in all the land. 

I think of Moses, who God called to go to pharaoh and ask that his people, the Israelites, be set free. Moses let God know, in no uncertain terms, that he was not qualified to speak, not qualified to confront the Egyptian megalomaniac, but God said to him, ‘What’s in your hand, Moses? Throw it down…’1 You see God sees what it is in our hand, what things he can redeem, including our past pains, our current difficulties, and views them as part of the package he will use that we may serve him and love others well. 

Perhaps your life hasn’t gone the way YOU thought it would- 

~starting with your childhood; your father was distant, austere … your mother was critical 

~you lost a mate--either to death, infidelity or a nasty divorce 

~you find yourself married to a stranger—“Is she really the woman I married? Was I blind, or have things changed that much? How can I be married, and be so lonely?” 

~parenting has been joyful, but a strain—learning challenges, mental illness, autism ….it is not how you pictured it would be! 

~you lost a child—God forbid! It isn’t supposed to happen like this! 

~you found God – your husband or your teen-age kids 

rejected your God – and there is a huge chasm now 

Really, the list of unrealized expectations and heartache could go on and on. 

In light of these things and more, the question comes, how then shall we live? Some of us grow from pain, because we believe what Paul said that ‘all things work together for good to those who love God, and are called according to his purpose.’2 And we realize that not much personal growth or character change happens without going through the fire actually. Think of what James said, “when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” 3 

If we’re honest, many of these things we have just pushed down inside of us, fearful of what would happen if we let them out, or took a closer look at them. At Women of Passion this week, I unearthed a heavy rucksack of a sort that we carry around—guilt, bitterness, pain, etc., many times unaware that we are weighed down by heavy burdens such as these. I got vulnerable and told a room full of women some things that I had never shared aloud … and then invited them to list their stuff in private on a paper, while the song ‘Lay Down My Life,’4 played overhead. 

Then I invited them to entrust their situations--the things they had listed, and those they had not yet, their pains and fears and broken heartedness-- to God, who knows all and cares about everything that concerns us, who is big enough to take all of our ‘stuff’ and heal it, rebuild it, and reshape us in the process. Again I think of Joseph, who said to his offending brothers, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…”5 

~>every time calamity, heartbreak, trial or loss impacts our life, 

it presents an opportunity for us to turn to God and 

for God to work in our lives 

Let God take your stuff and turn it for good, to go with your strengths, talents, spiritual gifts, education, work experience, and look at it all as part of how you are uniquely fashioned for a great purpose, 

Because when you do, your heart will be free to sing like a bird. 

Christine 

PastorWoman.com



1 – Exodus 3 and 4 – Moses called by God 

2 - Romans 8.28 

3 – James 1.2-4, NLT 

4 – ‘Lay Down My Life’ – Sidewalk Prophets – give a listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YYfSJa_GC8 ;

5 – Genesis 50.20