God works with very imperfect people.

He has used men with broken, messed-up pasts who made mistakes—some of them big mistakes. Look at these examples:

• Abraham lied more than once, putting his own safety above his calling to protect, cherish, and cling to his wife. But he was still God’s friend (James 2:23).
• David committed adultery and murder, but in Acts 13, he is remembered as a man after God’s own heart.
• Elijah was moody and got depressed, but he regained strength and joy to serve God (1 Kings 19).
• Peter had a temper and he denied Christ, yet he was called by name to feed Christ’s sheep (Mathew 16, John 21).
• Saul opposed Christ and persecuted Christians, but God gave him a new name and used him to establish and strengthen His church (Acts 8-9).
• John Mark withdrew from Paul and Barnabas when they needed him. He was a quitter―uncommitted and unreliable. But Barnabas took John Mark under his wing, and he became a valuable worker who later wrote one of the gospels. Later, even Paul acknowledged his helpfulness (2 Timothy 4:11).

And there are more: Noah let down his guard and got drunk. Jacob was a liar and a skilled deceiver. Moses was a murderer. Samson was a womanizer with raging anger. Jonah was a proud and stubborn prophet who ran from God. Timothy was timid. John the Baptist, Thomas, and even Jesus’ own brothers doubted Him. The disciples fell asleep when Jesus called them to watch.

Still, the Lord used these imperfect men in His service to accomplish His purposes. They weren’t already qualified or equipped; He equipped them with His call. That equipping, that call to action, is what launched Gideon on his journey of valor.

If you have received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, according to His Word you are chosen by God (Ephesians 1:4), totally forgiven (Colossians 2:13), loved (Colossians 3:12, Romans 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 1:4), made holy and blameless (Colossians 1:22), at peace with God (Romans 5:1), freed from condemnation (Romans 8:1), totally accepted (Romans 15:7), a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), complete (Colossians 2:9-10), given all things (2 Peter 1:3), righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21), qualified (Colossians. 1:12), more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37), and a mighty man of valor! (Judges 6:12).

What God starts in a man, He finishes: “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 ESV).

And He wants to use you.