Can you really use me, Lord?

Sometimes we feel too broken and bruised to be used by the Lord…

I looked in the mirror,
And all I could see was brokenness.
Scars both inside and outside,
Marred the figure in the mirror.
A tear rolled slowly down my cheek as I asked,
Can you really use me, Lord?

As I felt the warm teardrop make its way to the edge of my face,
I thought about why God couldn’t use me.
I had made more mistakes than I could count,
Some visible, others hidden in the shadows.
I thought that I could forget about them.
Move on, and let the Lord use me.
But that little voice inside me kept asking,
Can you really use me, Lord?

They looked at me and laughed.
Look at her past!
Look at her life!
She doesn’t deserve to serve God.
She has nothing of value to offer Him!
I rushed off and hid,
Away from the judging eyes, and slanderous tongues,
Into my secret place where I could talk to the Lord,
And ask…
Can you really use me, Lord?

Lord, am I so bad that you can’t use me?
Why does everyone say you don’t want me?
What did I do to make people think so badly of me?
I want to be clean, whole, and of value to you,
But those around me say otherwise.
Can you really use me, Lord?

My child, listen to me.
I made you in my likeness.
I love you.
I have a plan for you.
And more importantly,
I want to use you.

Lord, I find it so hard to believe you,
To understand what you’re saying.
You mean you can still use me,
Even after all I’ve done?
You can still use me,
Even though I’ve made so many mistakes,
And sinned against you more times than I can count?
Can you really use me, Lord?

Of course I can, my child.

I don’t use perfect people.

I take ordinary people who have made ordinary mistakes,

And transform them into my vessels.

I take whatever you offer me,

And use it for my glory.