Dig deeper

My girls and I have been studying the book of Esther and the other day we had a great discussion on the characteristics in a woman that God can use. We went through Esther's qualities of course, but I asked the girls what image popped into their mind when they thought of a woman God could use. It was interesting all of our responses: one who had lived a Godly life, could speak in public, no fear of social situations, well educated. As I go through this study, it is imperative to me that I erase any image I have of a woman God can use - because it's wrong. Whatever image that's in my head needs to be replaced with my face. Whatever image you have in your head needs to be replaced with your face. When God was forming you in your mother's womb in the likeness of his image, he placed in you qualities that were unique to you. He gave you a family that was part of His plan (whether you agree with it or not). He also allowed certain situations to enter your life - good and bad - that shaped you, and quite possibly are still shaping you. How it must break His heart when He asks us to do something and we so "oh no Lord, I can't do that. I'm not.....____" (good at speaking in public, educated enough, strong enough to handle rejection, pretty enough, thin enough, Godly enough - whatever that means). You fill in the blank with whatever perceived weakness is preventing you from obedience. I think about my 7 year old and what an awesome kid he is. How proud I am of him. He has such wonderful God given qualities that I so admire in him. How it would break my heart if he came to me and said "I can't do that Mom, I'm too short, or too shy, or too soft spoken" or whatever he saw as a weakness in himself. I would immediately contradict him with all of his strengths. How God must want to do that with us. "Oh child" he must want to say to us "you focus on what is wrong with you, but look at all I have placed in you. You have such great qualities - use them for my glory". The beauty of Esther is that it teaches us as women that God can use ANY of us. Esther didn't fit the picture of a woman God could use of her time. She lived with godless people instead of in Jerusalem, she concealed her nationality, she joined a harem and married outside of her faith. But God USED HER to save his people. Stop making excuses for why you can't do it. Ask God to give you strength and show you the qualities in yourself that he wants to use and cultivate them. And when He does, be ready to get your hands dirty. It takes some digging and watering and nurturing to mature that seed in you, and you just may have to step out of your comfort zone a little to do it.