Over and over I hear the same line, “God can’t use me, God won’t use me. . .” and so on. I’m not sure if people truly believe that or if it is an excuse to avoid being obedient to what God has called them to do. So let me relieve you of your worries, you are right, God can’t use you as you are. Not the most encouraging thing you will hear today, but don’t stop reading now.

In Luke 8, Jesus met a man who was possessed by a demon. I think we can all agree if you are demon-possessed then being used by God is not on your list of things to do. This man ran around town naked and slept, not in a house, but in the graveyard. Everyone in town was scared of this man and ran the other direction at the sight of him, but not Jesus. Jesus saw something else. He saw what He “could” become. Jesus cleaned this man of all of his demons.

To this town evidently the only thing scarier than a demon-possessed man is meeting a man who can cast out those demons. When they saw what Jesus did they asked Him to leave, and so He did. Before leaving, the former demon-possessed man asked Jesus to let him come with Him. Jesus had a bigger plan. Instead of coming with me (Jesus) I want you to tell this entire city was has happened to you.

The very next verse is what excites me. “When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed Him, for they were waiting for Him” (verse 40). This formerly demon-possessed man had done what God asked him to do, tell the city about the change God had made in him. He had no “formal” training. Jesus didn’t give him a script. He simply told the city what Jesus had done for him and when Jesus came back, the whole town was waiting on Him.

You may not think God can use you where you are right now, but He sees you for what you could be. Give Him control of your life and see if you can win your town to Him. Your town may not want anything to do with Jesus right now, but you be faithful and obedient to what God has called you to, and see God work.