When God Uses the Broken

I’ve been reading through a Bible‑in‑a‑year plan, and this past week we finished Judges. I don’t think I ever fully realized how terrible Samson really was, or how clearly his actions revealed where he placed his trust—and it wasn’t in God. He repeatedly prioritized his own desires, fed his pride, and boasted in his strength. Yet God still used this deeply flawed man to accomplish His purposes.

God isn’t saying Samson’s sin was acceptable. Scripture never presents sin as prescriptive; it simply describes the broken people God is still willing to work through. And Samson faced severe consequences for his choices: his eyes were gouged out, he was enslaved, and he was forced to perform for others’ amusement. God allowed those consequences, and even within them we still see His grace.

In the end, Samson finally recognized that his strength had always come from God. He asked for that strength one last time to pull down the pillars—ending his own life along with his captors. As difficult as that moment is, we see God using a sinner to move His redemptive plan one step forward, drawing Israel—His people, and ultimately us—closer to Himself. His patience is astonishing.

I find that incredibly encouraging, because it means God can still use me. No matter how deeply I’ve sinned, how far I’ve run, or what brokenness brought me into recovery, God’s purposes will still be accomplished.

H.M.