ALICE MATAGORA, as posted on Proverbs 31 Ministries Encouragement for Today daily devotional

“They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.’” John 4:42 (NIV)

If there is anyone who can put to rest any doubts we may have that God could use our lives for His Kingdom, it’s the Samaritan woman. (John 4)

A woman in a patriarchal society, who had a shameful past and was living in sin.
A Samaritan, whose worship differed from that of the Jews.
An individual with very little theological exposure and nonexistent ministry experience.
An everyday, ordinary person.

Yet after a single encounter with Jesus, the Samaritan woman was faithful to share with those who lived around her what little she knew about Him. This all resulted in a radical movement of the gospel throughout Samaria to save the souls of people who other disciples would not reach until after Jesus’ return to heaven.

I can relate with the Samaritan woman. I didn't become a Christian until I was in high school, and even after becoming a Christian, I made poor decisions.

When I really started walking with Jesus, I was also in the midst of a deep fog of depression and anxiety and was recovering from eating disorders. And while those things aren’t sins, they were struggles that, for me, were tied to the life I had been living apart from Jesus. Yet as a dear friend began to faithfully disciple me and share what they knew about walking with Jesus, I began to experience freedom from my sin, shame and struggles.

Jesus gave me strength to walk away from temptations that had previously ensnared me. I learned to let go of shame and embrace God’s grace. My depression and anxiety began to lift. I experienced eating-disorder recovery that I hadn’t experienced through all of the many treatments I had received up until that point. (Though please note that, as a licensed therapist, I am in full support of seeking out mental health services from a licensed professional. Jesus did an incredible work of healing in my life during this season, and He also used later therapy to help me dive deeper into recovery.)

But the craziest thing my discipler shared? That God could use my life to advance His Kingdom right now.

Who, me? I thought. How could God ever use someone like me for His Kingdom?

At the same time, like with the Samaritan woman, God ignited an overwhelming excitement in me to share with others what little I knew about having a relationship with God. I mean, did you know you can really have a relationship with God and He can transform your life? This is what the Samaritans experienced after the woman shared about her encounter with Jesus and they heard His words:

“They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world’” (John 4:42).

That was just the beginning. Since I first asked Who, me?, God has used that ordinary college student — a baby Christian, a woman with shame in her past and sin in her present — to help her family come to Christ. And not only that — He’s used me to help women all over the world learn how to have a relationship with Jesus and make Him known to those around them in their everyday lives, in their families, in their workplaces, in their classes, in their labs, in their mom groups, in their friendships, in their gaming communities. Next door to everywhere.

God can use you to advance His Kingdom to the ends of the earth.

Who, me? I didn’t grow up in the church.
Who, me? I haven’t even been a Christian for that long.
Who, me? God could never use someone with my past.
Who, me? I haven’t been to Bible college and have no formal ministry training or experience.
Who, me? I’m just a [wife, mother, daughter, sister, kid, grandmother, new Christian, barista, corporate executive, artist, student … the list goes on and on].

What could I do?

Familia of Faith, what could God do through you?

In the same way God could use me, in the same way God could use the Samaritan woman, God can use you to save the world, right where you live, right now. He has what it takes, and what you have is enough for Him to use.

The question is: Are we willing to step out in faith to do so? May it be so.

Heavenly Father, open our eyes to the ways You desire to use us in the lives of those around us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Personal Note by Elizabeth Ramirez: This devotional resonated with me as a “baby Christian” trying to do my part to let God work through me! As the Director for Children’s Ministry, I urge you to pray about volunteering with the kiddos in our Familia of Faith, as a Wednesday night Bible Study leader, or Sunday School teacher!