The Difference Between Ordinary And Extraordinary Is God

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20-21.

All throughout Scripture we see that God is about doing improbable things through improbable people. The most reluctant of these people was Moses. Fearing for his life after a misguided attempt at vigilante justice, he had retreated to Midian for some easy living in a remote country. It wasn’t long before God disrupted his life by calling him to leave his life of comfort to save his people from the hands of Pharaoh. It’s here, in his first conversation with God, that we see Moses give five back-to-back-to-back-to-back excuses for why he could not do what God wanted.

While we may tell ourselves that we would never have the audacity to reject God to His face, the truth is that we probably do this more than we think. We all make excuses. Excuses are often the natural reaction to God pushing us through the Scriptures to live lives that glorify Him. Sometimes we may feel what God is asking us to do is overwhelming, if not impossible. Moses probably felt that way so we can learn from his experience. The excuses Moses made probably mirror excuses we can give ourselves when we are resisting or balking at God’s will and direction for our lives.

God clearly worked through the lives of people like Moses. It is easy to assume that the people God uses, while not perfect, must be smarter, more holy, greater and better than me. Can I really expect God to ever do something like that through me? The answer is yes.

When we really begin to look honestly at some of the people in the Bible, such as Moses, and take them down off the stained-glass windows, it becomes obvious that God did extraordinary things through ordinary, regular people. And He still does today. So what about those of us who want to make an eternal impact in the lives of others but wonder whether we are smart enough, have enough knowledge, have the right words, and the right approach. The issue isn’t that God’s power isn’t available to us or we aren’t smart enough or good enough. The answer to those questions is summed up in 2 Chronicles 16:9: “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him….” God is looking to use ordinary people who are completely committed to Him.

A strong relationship with God is one that gives us the courage to do what we would never do on our own. Whether it’s talking to a friend about that elephant in the room you’ve been avoiding, or making a big life decision that puts you in unfamiliar territory, it’s important to remember that God is actively playing a part in your life to ensure your long-term success and happiness. Believing this will allow you to take risks and do things you wouldn’t have imagined possible on your own. God can overcome any weakness or flaws we may have.

So which excuse(s) have you been making to God? Take some time to write out what you have been resisting, and make the decision to do what God is asking you to do.

Discussion Questions:

What is the number one thing you need to be used by God?
What responsibility do we have to be available for God to work through us?
What can you do this week to be more available to God to be used for His purposes?