"If you couldn't say a word I could still use you..." These words spoken by God to American gospel music artist Todd Galberth as he battled the reality of the effects of cancer in his body. He had tried to sing and could not and as tears streamed down his face God spoke this into his spirit. God was not looking at him differently, He had not changed His mind about him. Some time later, God completely healed him and he was able to sing again. God reminded him that He was interested in a relationship with him. It wasn't about what he could or could not do. God was interested in him!
          Sometimes, because of negative circumstances or situations we may feel washed up, useless. A negative medical report, a harsh word spoken by someone whose opinion matters, maybe it's a betrayal by someone you expected to be on your side or maybe a business has fallen through. Whatever the situation or circumstance, it has left you feeling that all hope is lost, that maybe you can't be used by God like before, that that dream that you had is now dead and best buried, that maybe you just need to give up and stop trying, stop hoping, stop believing. Let's face it, life happens. We don't usually get to choose the bad things that come our way. They seem chosen for us. But here's hope . . . no matter what comes our way to stop us, to hinder us, to even plain destroy us, it can't stop God from using us, it can't change His mind about us or His love for us.
          Let's look at Joseph. Life seemed to deal him an unfair and harsh blow. He was separated from his home and family, he was falsely accused and thrown into prison, yet, all these things failed to render him useless in God's hands. Think about it. Who would have thought that a foreigner with a criminal record - for attempted rape no less - would become a top leader in Egypt, Pharaoh's right hand man? Only God! Joseph probably thought that his dream was now unattainable . . . at least his circumstances seemed to say so. But God still favoured and used him, even while he was still in prison, and He even used his negative circumstances to make his dream a reality.
          Todd Galberth also mentioned the fact that nothing is wasted by God. I've been hearing this recently. God uses everything, the good, the bad, the in between in your life, to produce His will, His purpose for you. Nothing in your life is wasted by God! When you put it in this perspective, you realise that there is nothing in your life that can go so wrong that God can't use you. Simply say, "God here I am with all my failures, with all my limitations, with all my challenges. Lord if You can use anything, use me." And He will!!! 

"God's doing it and I don't have to worry about it."
       Too many times, as typical human beings, we're trying to do it all on our own. We love to recite: "God helps those who help themselves," as if that is our mantra pushing us to do great things. Here's the problem: that usually means that we do "everything" while God is allowed to do nothing. We usually don't even consult God at this time yet His Word says that in all our ways we are to acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:6). Is it possible then that truthfully, we just want to have our own way, to do it ourselves without any interference from God? Look at Abraham and Sarah. God gave Abraham a promise that he would have a child. However, they tried to "help" themselves and tried to bring that promise to pass by bringing Hagar, Sarah's handmaiden into the picture. After a period of waiting, and knowing that Sarah could not get pregnant herself, they probably started to get restless and felt it was up to them to do their part and bring that promise to pass. Here's the problem: they never consulted God and ended up causing more harm than good.
        Sometimes, we may think that we're doing God a favour, that we're doing the "Christian thing." However, there is still a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is death (Proverbs 14:12). It's not about what we think but about what God knows. So, why not give God a chance to handle your business which, in reality, is really HIS business. He knows what to do and how to do it. After all, He is God.

          I have recently been reading a book, "Cinder Girl" by Christina Meredith. It's the true life story about the author, a phenomenal young woman who overcame insurmountable obstacles to be where she is today. As a child she suffered verbal and physical abuse at the hands of her mother, who it seems never accepted her. As she grew older she underwent sexual abuse at the hands of her mother's brother who later handed himself over to the police with a written confession admit​ting that he had committed the act but that she was in agreement with it.  Her one shining light was her father who himself was thrown into jail after being falsely accused by her mother of physical abuse. He consequently spent years in jail writing to every authority he could think of to free his children, especially her, from the abuse he knew they were experiencing. During all this turmoil she was introduced to Jesus and held on to Him like a lifeline. She believed in Him and trusted Him even when it didn't make sense to do so. And countless times she saw God pull through for her. She chose to hold on to the belief that she would be somebody and would make a difference in spite of what her mother  had tried to embed in her brain to the contrary. Believe it or not she succeeded in winning a beauty contest and even writing the book I'm now reading.
          What amazes me about this young woman is her persistence, her tenacity. She never gave up on the dreams she had and still has: to write a book, to fight for children in the foster care system, to help as many abused and neglected children like herself. She never gave up on her God. She chose to trust Him and be thankful sometimes for the simple things. What I have read of her story so far has motivated me to pursue relentlessly after my own dreams. It matters not who believes in them with me and who does not. What matters is that God believes in me and supports me. He is the One to bring those dreams to pass.
          Many times it can be so easy to believe what others say about you. It can be so easy to give up on a dream just because some don't believe that you can. That 's alright. Even if people believe that you can't or that you should not, God is the One person who believes in you and who will give you the ability to make it happen. After all, His Word reminds us that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength or in other words who enables to do what we may not be able to do on our own (Philippians 4:13).
         I even think about the story of Joseph. He had a dream but his own family did not support him. They did not believe in him. In fact his own brothers were jealous of him and did their best to abort his dream. But when they thought they had succeeded in killing his dream by selling him to a band of merchants who later sold him in Egypt, little did they know that their negative actions only served to propel him straight into his destiny. Sometimes that's what happens. The adversity we face in life - whether it be from others or from our own mistakes - end up propelling us into our destiny. What the enemy means for evil through those negative circumstances, God turns it around for our good and for the good of others.
          You see, when your life is in God's hands and you trust Him with it, no matter what comes your way God will turn it around for good; He will turn it into a blessing what the enemy meant for a curse; He will turn it into a powerful testimony or message that will minister to millions and set captives free. In the young lady's life above, God has used her heartache, her hurt, her suffering to minister to thousands like me, to motivate thousands like me to never give up, to keep trusting, to keep hoping in the God of the impossible; to believe that this same God does love me, does care for me, and is working on my behalf even when it feels as if nothing is happening. It's a reminder of God saying constantly to me: "I've got this!"