He Knows Your NameVoorbeeld

He Knows Your Story

I’ve heard the statement “God doesn’t want to use you, He wants to love you” going around a lot lately, and while I agree, I think teachings about God wanting to use us stem from our own internal desire to have purpose in the kingdom of God. We want our lives to have significance, and we want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.

As our world grows in communication ability and changes at lightning speed, we’ve equated impact with stages, microphones, viral videos, and the "number of followers". We’ve believed the lie that the extraordinary must be witnessed by the masses.

But what if influence is less about being known by the world and more about simply saying yes to the One who knows your story and the day ahead?

What’s amazing to me is that although we do not know their names, we are still learning from the stories of anonymous women centuries later. The woman at the well is a prime example of this. I have a feeling you likely already know her story and are familiar with the fact that this marginalized woman became a missionary to her entire village after a transformational conversation with Jesus.

She was overlooked, unwanted, and without any stage in her community until she came close to Jesus. Her encounter with Him not only radically changed her life, but also emboldened her to share her story and make Jesus known. The story of this nameless woman changed her current world and still changes hearts today.

It’s okay to want to be used by God, but it’s important for us to check our motives with these questions: Do I want to bring God glory, or do I want a light shined on me? Will my heart be content with the impact I make for His name even if my own name is never known?

Your life has a purpose, and Jesus knows your name. As you settle into the simple yet profound truth that you are seen and known and loved by Him, the desire to be known by the masses fades, and contentment to simply share His story grows. After all, it’s not your name that has the power to transform lives, but the precious name of Jesus.

This plan has been adapted from the book He Knows Your Name: How 7 Nameless Women of the Bible Reveal Christ’s Love for You, https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/516379