God Used a Murderer. And He Can Use Us Too

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If you or I were making a list of people qualified to lead a nation, Moses probably wouldn’t have made the cut. I mean, the man had a rap sheet. Literally. He killed a guy and buried him in the sand (Exodus 2:12). That’s not exactly the best opening line on a résumé.

But here’s the twist: God did pick Moses. Not only that, He used Moses to deliver an entire nation, split a sea, and receive the Ten Commandments carved by the very finger of God. What’s that tell us?

That your past doesn’t disqualify you from God’s plan. In fact, it might just be the raw material He uses to shape your purpose.

The Resume of the Unqualified

Let’s talk real talk. Moses was a murderer, a stutterer (Exodus 4:10), and a man who tried to wiggle out of God’s calling with every excuse he could come up with. If Moses had a LinkedIn profile, it might read:

Skills: Sheep-herding, fleeing Egypt, avoiding public speaking.
Experience: 40 years in the wilderness, personal acquaintance of burning bush.

And yet, God called that guy.

When I wrote my book Success by The Book, I emphasized this principle over and over again: true success isn’t about your perfection—it’s about your obedience. Moses didn’t get used because he had it all together. He got used because when it really counted, he finally said “yes.”

And that “yes” changed history.

God’s Pattern: Broken People, Big Missions

Moses isn’t a fluke. He fits the pattern.

  • Noah got drunk.

  • Jacob was a liar.

  • Rahab was a prostitute.

  • David? Adulterer and murderer.

  • Peter denied Jesus three times.

  • Paul persecuted Christians.

Yet God still used them—powerfully. Why? Because God isn’t looking for polished resumes. He’s looking for willing hearts.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul writes, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” That’s not just a poetic bumper sticker—it’s a playbook. God’s strength shows up best in your weakness, not your strength. That means your flaws aren’t barriers; they’re platforms.

And Moses? His faults didn’t disqualify him. They became a megaphone for God’s glory.

But I’ve Messed Up… Badly

Maybe you’re thinking, “Sure, Moses got a second chance, but you don’t know what I’ve done.” Friend, God does. And He still wants you.

Moses spent 40 years in the desert before God called him from the burning bush (Exodus 3). That’s four decades of feeling like a failure. Four decades of waking up to sheep instead of purpose.

If God can call a fugitive with a speech impediment from the middle of a desert and use him to lead an entire people, He can absolutely use someone like you—someone who maybe yells at their kids more than they’d like, or wrestles with self-doubt, or still flinches at mistakes they made years ago.

God doesn’t write you off because of your past. He rewrites your future.

A Divine Pattern of Preparation

Here’s the thing: those 40 years in the desert weren’t wasted. God used them to prepare Moses.

Sometimes, the delay isn’t punishment—it’s preparation.

Maybe the struggles you’ve gone through, the mistakes you’ve made, or the seasons of silence you’ve endured are actually shaping you for something greater. That setback? Setup. That pain? Preparation. That desert? Boot camp for destiny.

In Success by The Book, I call this “The Grind Behind the Glory.” We see Moses splitting seas, but we forget about the years spent herding sheep. We see leaders at the top of their game, but often ignore the tears, trials, and personal failures they had to push through first.

If God Can Use Moses, He Can Use You

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be available.

You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to trust the One who does.

And you don’t need to pretend you haven’t made mistakes. You just need to believe that God can redeem them.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, “For I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.” That’s not a loophole for the lucky—it’s a promise for the willing.

Your Turn

So where does that leave us? It leaves us with a challenge—and a whole lot of hope.

Stop waiting until you “get it together.” Moses never fully “got it together.” In fact, he still had moments of fear and failure even after leading Israel out of Egypt. But he kept showing up. He kept listening to God. He kept going forward.

And God kept using him.

So go ahead. Say yes. Step into that calling. Forgive yourself for the past. Trust that the God who used a murderer to deliver a nation can use you to impact your family, your workplace, your city, maybe even your world.

And if you need a little roadmap on how to walk this out in your own life—how to turn your past into purpose and your flaws into fuel—grab a copy of Success by The Book. Because Moses’ story isn’t just inspiring—it’s instructional. And your success story might just be next in line.

Oh, and One More Thing…

If you feel like you’re in a desert season right now, take heart. So was Moses.

But deserts have a funny way of turning into holy ground.

You just might be standing on the edge of your own burning bush moment.

And when God calls your name… don’t worry about your past.

Just take off your sandals—and answer.