Hope for the Hopeless

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Have you ever noticed that God seems most interested in people who are unpretentious—those who are hopeless, those who have their share of desperation and defeat, those who are flawed and wounded, those in whom most of the world has given up on, those with nowhere to turn? God seems to have a soft spot in his heart for people who pray desperate prayers, who hold onto shattered dreams, who are trapped by wrong choices, who are estranged from society, often rejected.

God seldom makes his primary movement through those people whom you and I would be inclined to call the movers and shakers of the world. Some of the most gifted and talented, prominent and prestigious people have a tendency to use their gifts selfishly. God then has to look elsewhere for help. He ends up using people of more modest talents and even questionable reputations.

Consider the fact that God used Noah, a drunk; Abraham, a liar; Moses, a murderer; David, an adulterer; Jeremiah, depressed and suicidal; Elijah, burned out; Peter, the denier; Saul, a killer. The list goes on and on. God always seemed to work through the most ordinary and unlikely people who were on the very edge of social respectability.

This fact, however, is reassuring. It gives me hope. It gives me possibility.

I could be on that list, too. I, too, have a story. I am flawed. I am a sinner. I am broken and bent. I am a wretch, an outcast. My sinful condition is like a splash of ink in a glass of water; my flawed state permeates my whole being.

But, I’m loved. God knows my flawed condition. He knows my fallen state, and he loves me anyway. My ragged condition is no longer the most important thing about me. I was not created flawed. I was created in such a way that God said of me just as he said of Adam “very good.”

My identity is not found in my fallen and flawed status. My past is not my destiny. I may be unlovely, but I am not unloved. I have hope. I am not washed up. I am usable.

So are you.

About Rick Ezell

I am a husband, father, pastor, and writer. This blog is about shaping character, transforming church, and impacting culture. I believe that if one defines their moments then their moments will determine their character and their character will influence their world. I write on personal development, church leadership, and our changing culture. I also write about the resources I am developing and the books I am writing. My goal is to create challenging, relevant, and inspiring content that will help you be a better person, the church be a better parish, and the world a better place. If you are interested in those things, this blog is for you. I have served the church my entire career as a student minister and senior pastor. I studied at Samford University, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary (eventually I will get it). I have written eight books. My most recent ones are Chapter 13: The Excellence of Love and Soul Therapy: The Healing Words of Psalm 23. Both are available as eBooks. I have written over 1000 articles for various local, regional, and national publications. I have been married to Cindy for thirty-three years. We have one wonderful daughter. We live in Greenville, SC. In my free time, I enjoy writing, reading, running, tennis, and golf. You can contact me via email or follow me on Twitter or Facebook. This is my personal blog. The opinions I express here do not necessarily represent those of my employer. The information I provide is on an as-is basis. I make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use.
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