God is looking for people to use, and if you can get usable, he

"God is looking for people to use, and if you can get usable, He will wear you out. The most dangerous prayer you can pray is this: 'Use me.'" These words by Rick Warren speak with the raw truth of what it means to fully surrender to the divine calling and purpose of one's life. They suggest a deep humility — the willingness to be fully available to the Creator, not for personal gain or glory, but for service to a higher cause. To pray, “Use me,” is to place oneself at the mercy of divine will, to say, "I am ready to be shaped, broken, and reshaped according to God's purpose." In this prayer lies the potential for a life of extraordinary sacrifice, deep fulfillment, and at times, overwhelming service.

The ancients, in their wisdom, spoke often of the call to serve. The Greek philosophers taught of the life lived in pursuit of the Good, and how one's soul must be aligned with divine purpose. To live in harmony with the divine order was the highest calling — a call not to seek one's own comfort, but to participate in the greater good. Socrates, in his dialogues, taught that the truly virtuous soul must be prepared to serve others selflessly, without seeking rewards or recognition. He understood that those who dedicate themselves to divine service are often tested to their limits, yet it is in this very service that the soul becomes great.

Consider the story of Mother Teresa, a woman who lived the essence of Rick Warren’s words. She prayed that God would use her as an instrument of love and compassion, and indeed, she was used mightily. Her life became a testimony to what it means to pray “use me” and to walk the path of sacrifice. Every day she served the poor, the sick, and the dying in the streets of Calcutta, she was worn out by the weight of the world’s suffering. Yet, in her exhaustion, there was a radiance that came not from her strength, but from her utter surrender to God’s will. She understood that to be used by God is not always to be comfortable, but it is to live in the fullness of purpose.

The dangerous prayer that Warren speaks of is, in truth, the prayer of those who desire to go beyond the self. It is a prayer that seeks no glory but only the will of God to be done. It is not a prayer for personal comfort or a life of ease. It is a prayer that invites the work of God into one’s life, a work that can consume and transform the individual. The great saints and leaders of history were not those who sought power or ease, but those who asked to be used — those who offered their lives for a higher cause, like St. Francis of Assisi. In the humility of his service, he became the instrument of peace, love, and divine transformation in the world.

Yet, the prayer to be used by God comes with the understanding that we may be stretched in ways we never imagined. The life of service requires the willingness to be "worn out" by the demands of others, the constant giving of oneself. It is the life of the servant, and it often goes unnoticed. The danger is not that God will not use us, but that we may be unprepared for the depth of sacrifice required. To be used by God means to give of oneself without reserve, and this can feel exhausting, even overwhelming. But in this sacrifice is where true joy is found — in the act of selfless love, where the soul finds purpose beyond the self.

The lesson here is clear: when we pray, "Use me," we are inviting the Divine will into our lives, and we are surrendering ourselves to a purpose that is often bigger than our understanding. God does not call the comfortable or the self-serving; He calls those who are willing to be broken, reshaped, and used for a greater purpose. The exhaustion of this path is not a sign of failure, but of divine engagement. When we choose to be used by God, we choose a path of radical surrender, and in that surrender, we find a deeper, more lasting peace and fulfillment than the world could ever offer.

Therefore, the practical action we must take is to pray boldly and humbly: "Use me." Let this be a daily prayer — not just in moments of ease, but when we face challenges, exhaustion, or uncertainty. Let us be open to God’s work in our lives, trusting that He will give us the strength to endure. And when the weariness comes, let us remember that in being worn out for God’s purpose, we are living in the highest calling — to be vessels of His love, to be instruments of peace, and to allow His work to unfold through us. Through this prayer, we step into the divine work that brings life to the world and joy to our hearts.