God Uses People
I love the moments when my testimony is called to mind and I am reminded of what Christ has done for me! A few days ago, I was working on an assignment for class that involved just that. I was writing a paper telling the story of God's work in my life to bring me to my current season. As I recalled all of the ups and downs of my testimony— the moments when I had gone astray, and the moments when I knew he was near— I realized a common theme. God uses people!
When I first came to know Christ, God used my family to display the meaning of salvation. I witnessed my brother's baptism, which compelled me to seek to understand what baptism meant. Through many conversations with my family, I began to realize that I witnessed a public symbol of the faith that my brother professed. It represented Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, which conquered sin. I came to understand that sin is something that everybody suffers from, and it separates us from our creator, God. But, since Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross, we can repent and have a relationship with him. It was this realization, through the life of my brother and the rest of my family, that God called me to himself, and I was saved.
As I continued in my faith, God allowed friends who did not follow him to lead me towards temptation. While that might seem counterproductive at face value, just stick with me! Genesis 50:20 declares, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” There was a period in my life in which I did not follow Christ. I was led away from him, and I went to the things of the world as a “quick fix” to fill the emptiness that I felt in my heart. When those worldly things only left me feeling even more empty than before, I realized that it is only Jesus who can truly satisfy us. So, while it is never God's desire for us to sin, he knew that I would. He knew that there would be people in my life who would not encourage me in my walk with him. But, he also knew that the outcome of those friendships and choices would be the realization that I only want Jesus, and I would ultimately be drawn nearer to him.
I ran to Jesus and God put people in my life to encourage me! I wanted to know Jesus more deeply, but, even more than that, I wanted to help others know him, too. I realized that I needed encouragement, accountability, and prayer. As I asked God to give me a community, he provided! He gave me friends to walk alongside and opportunities to point people to Jesus. But the most pivotal part was when he gave me the blessing of discipleship! I began to walk under the leadership of people who are much wiser and holier than I am. These are people whom I strive to live like, because they live like Jesus! More specifically, he gave me someone with whom I could study Gods word. Someone who would hold me accountable and commit to praying for me. Someone who would later look at me and say, “if anything happens, I am not going anywhere!” It is this full picture of community, the influx of discipleship to the outpour of leadership, that is the most life-changing and life-giving blessing I could experience.
As I recall my story and the people that the Lord has used in my life, I can’t help but ask what his word says about all of this. I am reminded of Mark 2 when Jesus was preaching with a great crowd around him. Four men had a paralyzed friend who they desperately wanted to see Jesus and be healed. They took this friend on a mat, put a hole in the roof above Jesus, and lowered the paralyzed man to meet him. Because of their faith, Jesus said, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5b ESV). The paralyzed man was healed, not just of his physical disability, but from spiritual death, because his friends were willing to do anything necessary to bring him to the feet of Jesus.
Through this, I am challenged to ask myself a few things, and I encourage you to think through them with me!
If we know that God uses and allows people to play pivotal roles in his story of redemption, what role are you playing?
Are you the family member putting salvation on display?
Are you the friend who might not be representing Christ well?
Are you the leader who is committed to building others up?
Most of all, I pray that God empowers each of us to be the one willing to do anything necessary to bring others to the feet of Jesus!
If you make that commitment, I have confidence that God will use you!
With much love,
Ava Byler