God Is Using Us For His Work In The World
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:” I Peter 4:10
I came across this statement by one of my former seminary professors, Dr. John Leith. He said, “The Calvinist is a person who is convinced that God is using his or her life to accomplish his divine purposes in human history.”
We sometimes wonder what impact we are making. The problems in the world are immense and complicated. Most societal problems do not have simple solutions. In addition, those outside the halls of power are not able to effect the kind of social change that is needed. It can be frustrating to see social problems but not be able to make a significant impact on them.
Christian theology believes, however, that God’s purposes are being worked out in history. The world is the arena of God’s activity. Our election by grace means that we are to be instruments of God’s divine purposes. We have not been chosen for privilege but for service. God is using us for his work in the world.
How does our Christian faith help us? It calls us to live with intelligence and integrity. God gave us minds to use. Since that is the case, we should use them. The Christian faith shines light on the world. It enables us to think clearly about what is true and what is false. Because of God’s revelation in scripture, we can think clearly about the world. This means we can see clearly enough to apply our minds to difficult problems. But clear thinking must be accompanied with integrity. This means seeking the truth, not just what promotes our agenda. It means dealing honestly with facts and not simply spinning information for our personal benefit or to promote our pet causes. The world today needs people who will live and act with intelligence and integrity.
A second way the Christian faith helps us impact the world is that it calls us to a life of faith, hope, and love. We are called to moral behavior. This means that we treat others as valuable human beings, not just a means to our preferred ends. It means having faith in God, who gives meaning, purpose, and direction to both individuals and societies. Without faith in God, there is no basis for determining right from wrong. Without God societies inevitably lose their way. Finally, hope is important because it sees a better future. It sees that, with God’s help, problems can be solved, conflicts can be settled, and peace can be established.
Is God using our lives to accomplish his purposes in history? Our Christian faith says “yes.” This is a statement to be believed by faith. You may not think your impact is great. You may not think you make much impact. Consider, however, the hole your life would leave if it were missing. Consider all the people whose lives would be negatively impacted if you were not part of them.
We believe, by faith, if not by sight, that God is using our lives to accomplish his purposes in history. For that reason, we should not be discouraged. Do whatever good you can today. Be a witness for what is true. Contribute to the needs of others and our society. Make the world around you better. God has a big plan. He needs lots of people working together. Trust that God is using what you do to further his plan.