Have you ever felt like you needed to have it all together to be useful for Jesus?
As a wife and mom, I’ve felt that way. To help someone else, I think I need to have my kids in order. My home in order. My life in order. I need to have a handle on everything before I can even think about being effective for God.
The Lies We Believe
In fact, I think the enemy loves to use that feeling. He whispers things like,
“You’ll never be enough.”
“You’re a mess.”
“You can’t help anyone until you get your act together.”
Sometimes those feelings sidetrack me–as if I should sit on the sidelines until I get my life perfectly lined up. But today, I’m meditating on the story of Naomi.
Naomi’s Brokenness
Naomi left Bethlehem with her husband and two sons during a time of famine. They went to Moab, where her sons eventually married. But when tragedy struck, Naomi lost everything—her husband, her sons, her life. She was left with nothing but grief.
She decided to return to her homeland, back to the land of her fathers—and eventually, back to her God.
At that point, one of her daughters-in-law returned to her people. But Ruth stayed. Naomi had hit rock bottom, and her grief was so great that she was unrecognizable.
“Is this Naomi?” people asked. Grief had changed her.
Still, Ruth insisted on going with her. Why?
Because even at Naomi’s lowest—bitter, broken, and empty—she still had more to offer Ruth than her godless society ever could.
When Ruth saw Naomi at her lowest, she said, “Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God!”
So, here’s what I can’t stop thinking about: God uses us—even when we are at our worst.
Are You Too Broken To Be Used?
So if you feel like you’re too messy or broken to be helpful to anyone, don’t believe that lie.
Naomi wouldn’t have ever guessed what God could do through her pain. Ruth married Boaz. Their family line led to King David—and eventually to Jesus Himself.
Like Naomi, we can go through such difficult circumstances that we barely recognize ourselves—this can really make you feel like an impostor. If you’ve ever felt that way, remember that He doesn’t need the “before” version of you to do something beautiful.
So hold on. When you are faced with what seems like the worst version of your life, God knows your path and directs your steps.
A Cup That Runs Over 