Ruined for the Ordinary
10/25/20263 min read
Why do so many of us forget the power of prayer?
Myself included.
Recently, I’ve neglected this area of my life, forgetting that some of God’s greatest work in us happens when we come before Him with intentional devotion, boldness, and surrender.
After college, I navigated a couple of challenging seasons, and I can’t say those seasons have necessarily let up just yet. Recently, I took some time to reflect and decided to ask God for something that honestly scared me. Why? Because if God truly heard my prayer and answered it, I knew it could send me down a different path. A harder path. One that, deep down, I wasn’t sure I wanted to take.
“God, ruin me for the ordinary!”
What exactly did I mean by that when I prayed it? I’m not entirely sure. But I do know that God heard me, and I trust that He will continue to mold and shape me in new ways for the sake of His kingdom.
But why don’t more of us pray this way? Why don’t we all want to be ruined for the ordinary?
That was my initial thought, too, until I realized what I was actually asking God to do.
To be ruined for the ordinary might mean facing trials I never anticipated. It might mean seasons of poverty or prosperity, comfort or persecution, uncertainty or sacrifice. Whatever the road ahead holds, one thing is certain: it probably won’t be easy.
And if I’m being honest, that realization scares me.
When I first asked God to make 2025 the hardest year of my life, I had no idea what I was asking for or how He might answer. Having walked through that season, I could hardly imagine praying something even bolder, let alone considering the possibility that He might answer it.
Yet somewhere along the way, I came to a simple realization: my life was never my own to begin with.
So why not surrender it fully to the One who gave it to me? Why not ask God to use every part of my life, the good and the bad, to bring glory to His name?
Paul writes in Romans 12:1:
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Paul shifts from explaining the truths of the gospel to calling believers to live in light of those truths. And what does that look like? Surrender. Our lives are no longer about our own ambitions, comfort, or desires. We are called to lay ourselves down in service to the Lord and His mission.
To live as a living sacrifice means giving God more than our Sunday mornings, our spare time, or the parts of ourselves we feel comfortable surrendering. It means placing our entire lives before Him and saying, “Lord, whatever You want to do with me, I’m Yours.”
Sounds pretty cool, I know.
But let’s be honest. It's a lot easier to write those words than to live them. It's easy to pray boldly when we imagine God answering in ways that align with our plans. It's another thing entirely when His answer leads us somewhere we never wanted to go.
Sometimes, I think we're afraid to pray boldly because deep down, we're afraid God might actually answer.
What if He calls us to leave behind the comfort we've worked so hard to build? What if He leads us into difficult relationships, challenging circumstances, or seasons of uncertainty? What if following Him costs us something we never intended to give up?
Will we still trust Him? Will we still say yes?
I don't ask these questions because I have everything figured out. Quite the opposite. I'm still learning what it means to surrender, to pray boldly, and to trust God with the things I'd rather keep in my own hands.
But this is my prayer for us this week: PRAY.
Pray boldly. Pray intentionally. Pray with open hands and a surrendered heart. Not simply for our own comfort, success, or self-gain, but for the advancement of His kingdom. Ask God to use you. Ask Him to stretch you, shape you, and make you more like Christ. Ask Him to open doors you could never open yourself and give you the courage to walk through them.
And when you pray, don't be surprised if His answer looks different from what you expected.
Our lives are not our own. We have been given the incredible privilege of participating in something far greater than ourselves: the work of God's kingdom. We get to make disciples, serve others, and point people toward the hope of Jesus Christ.
So what are we waiting for?
May we be ruined for the ordinary. Not for the sake of a more exciting life, but for the sake of a greater purpose. May our lives become vessels through which God works, regardless of the cost.
Lord, whatever it takes, use us for Your glory.