God uses ordinary. He does it for his mighty works and does it as part of the good plans he has for us. And, it’s not just the most charismatic, famous, skilled and educated he seeks. He used twelve ordinary men to filled with weaknesses and shared their story of HIS story throughout the New Testament. Fisherman, tax collectors, political zealots saw their weakness transformed into strength.
God is inviting us to be among another set of ordinary men and women who can can bring him glory. Here’s seven posts to help further our understanding and inspire our pursuits.
God Uses Ordinary for Mighty Works
God Uses Ordinary People in Extraordinary Ways (Dave Jenkins at Blue Letter Bible): Something that held me up when starting 1Glories was feeling I lacked the right education. However, as Jenkins says, ‘rather than thinking in terms of whether or not you have a seminary degree or extensive ministry experience I want you to go back to the Gospels.” It’s there that we see how Jesus used lesser educated – perhaps ordinary – individuals to do great work.
God Uses Ordinary People (Ruth Johnson at Lighthouse of Hope Ministries): The world lauds fame, fortune and charisma. However, God reveres differently. Flashy, charismatic, and powerful gifts are not prerequisites for doing his mighty work.
God uses ordinary for his mighty works and the good plans for us. He’s not looking just for the most charismatic, famous, skilled and educated. Like the apostles, he’s looking to transform our weaknesses into strength and inviting us to be ordinary men and women to bring him glory.
How God Uses Ordinary
Bible Example Of God Working In The Ordinary (Michael L. Williams at What Christians Want to Know): We often think that God only works through miracles. That’s a form of somewhat flawed thinking. But there’s many reasons why we might not see how God uses ordinary. Two basic reasons are an inability to discern and our spiritual immaturity.
Eric Metaxas Explains How God Uses Ordinary People to Change History (Jim Daly at Daly Focus/Focus on the Family): Metaxas references known heroes like Jackie Robinson, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, George Washington, Joan of Arc, Corrie ten Boom, and Rosa Parks as examples of greatness. As he does this, he introduces a series designed to help you live a meaningful life. Just open yourself up to the author of all things.
Inviting God into Using Our Ordinary Selves
God Uses Ordinary People Just Like You (Shana Schutte at Wisdom Hunters): Self-sufficiency can be an enemy of grace. That’s because, if we believe we can do everything on our own, why do we need God? This is the reason that one of the most powerful things we can do is thank God for what we cannot. Invite Him into our inadequacies.
God Uses Ordinary People (Jane Hansen Hoyt at Aglow International): Hansen shows how the life of Abraham serves as an example of God using ordinary. Then, she references Romans 9:16 to set up a modern application. “God purposefully chose such a person to show every generation to follow that, “It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.”
God’s Looking for Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary Things (Chip Ingram at Living on the Edge): Referencing Luke 1:37 and Ephesians 20-21, Ingram shows that “throughout Scripture we see that God is about doing improbable things for improbable people so His purposes are achieved and He gets the glory.” Then, he uses 2 Chronicles 16:9 to show that the issue isn’t that God’s power isn’t available or that we aren’t smart enough or good enough. It’s that we must strongly align our heart to him.