Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:1: “Since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart” (BSB).

Some people think “ministry” is a churchy word. It’s something only ministers do. But anytime you use the talents, gifts, and abilities God has given you to help somebody else, you’re doing ministry. Even your job can be your ministry—whether you’re an accountant, teacher, or truck driver!

When you understand that everything God does through you is because of his mercy, two things happen:

You don’t have to prove your worth. Do you ever try to prove your worth through your work? Maybe you think that the more successful you are, the more valuable you are. But your worth has nothing to do with your work. Instead, your worth is found in the fact that God made you, loves you, and sent Jesus to die for you. Understanding God’s mercy takes you off the performance track.

You don’t have to wallow in your mistakes. We’ve all made mistakes. We’ve all sinned. But because of God’s mercy, you don’t have to dwell on your past. You can repent and turn away from your sin. Your past doesn’t have to hold you back from doing the work God has given you to do.

In fact, God has never used a perfect person—because there aren’t any, except for Jesus Christ. When you look through the Bible, you’ll find all kinds of people who God used despite their mistakes. Jacob was a chronic liar; Rahab was a prostitute; Jonah was fearful and reluctant; Martha worried a lot; the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages; Peter was impulsive; Moses, David, and Paul were all guilty of murder. Yet God used each person in incredible ways.

So there’s nothing that would prevent God from using you. Because of God’s great mercy, you can live out God’s purpose for your life.