In-Sight: Of “Use” to God

Oswald Chambers has been a good guide for me for decades.  I read his book, My Utmost for His Highest, year after year–and like plowing a field, I keep turning over new, rich soil.

This morning, I was challenged by his counsel for us to stop asking, “Am I of use to God?.”

This question, he wrote, puts the emphasis on us and not on God–that is, in the wrong place.  Moreover (and what follows are my thoughts–don’t blame Oswald)…the question causes us to begin comparing ourselves with others.  When we do this, we can always find someone we think is of “more use” than we are.

Spiritual inferiority (not the same as humility) soon takes hold and controls our sense of ourselves and our outlook on life.  We succumb to what I call “death by comparison.”

Chambers says there is only one question to ask—“Am I abandoned to God?”  If we say, “Yes,” then we are of use to God–but on God’s terms, not ours.  And when we are thus abandoned, even the smallest thing is large—even the insignificant things are important.  We are where God wants us to be–living the life of ordinary holiness–of use to God everywhere and all the time.