“Hello, my name is Julie, and I am a Misfit.” A blessed and Unfinished Misfit; but still a misfit, at least according to culture’s current standards when contemplating the expected milestones which measure a typical white, middle-class American’s lifespan. In previous seasons of life, I would have irritably snubbed such ridiculous pigeon-holing, but after plunging into Brant Hansen’s Blessed Are the Misfits, I am amending my stance and will embrace this label for a lifetime.

Experiencing a span of more than thirty years of Bible study, one would think that I have considered, pondered, and examined most of the perspectives on the disciples and their experience following Jesus, but I am continually Surprised and Delighted when God opens my eyes to a new perspective I have not considered before. This encounter with Hansen’s work offers a sense of freedom and relief as explained in Bump the Tree, but also a willingness for me to embrace a new moniker as an Unfinished Misfit like the characters God used in the Bible to fulfill his purpose.  

“You’re a misfit? Good. That’s exactly the sort of person God uses. And when it happens, you probably won’t get credit from The Important People. No one besides God Himself may notice. But the seemingly miscast are the people He chooses.”

Hansen illustrates the pattern of how God uses Unfinished Misfits from Old Testament characters like Abraham and Moses (and even a donkey) to an author of much of the New Testament, Paul. Rather than focusing on the “highlights” and “the spectacular stuff” we typically hear in Sunday School, Jesus conveyed through parables stories “about actual humans who populated the real-life stories in the Bible.” And you know what, their lives were messy! They argued, doubted, and denied, but God still used them to accomplish the purposes He designed for them.

Describing the story of the prophet Elijah, Hansen reveals a perspective I never considered in Sunday School. “Elijah went into a big depression, and if you think the highly public showdown and blowout victory would make Elijah have a come-to-Yahweh moment, you’re wrong. He asked God to take his life. He felt that low. This will seem odd to some, but knowing we’re all currently a mess, in our own ways, isn’t depressing to me. It’s freeing. Because it says God can still use me. He hasn’t given up on me. Whatever I am—too this, too that—He still wants me to be part of His story…Maybe your life seems confusing and messy because you’re human. Perhaps God is not shocked by this, and uses us anyway to do profound, courageous, and beautiful things.”

Grasping at this lifeline that God will use me, an Unfinished Misfit, to meet a purpose I may never identify, allows me a freedom to be obedient in the Mundane and Monotonous of life; to accept that my “desire for resolution” is not without merit; and my personal Struggle With Singleness is an opportunity to experience Him in an entirely new way. Delighting in Hansen’s humor and self-deprecation, I have discovered a kindred spirit as an Unfinished Misfit and will refuse to accept the notion “that others aren’t saddled with self-doubt, that they know exactly what they’re doing.” Although it is vital for us to develop a Habit of Awareness, it can often be a battle because “we can see our fumbles and failures vividly. We can be painfully aware of our own shortcomings, missteps, and regrets.” However, if I consider that no one is immune to these doubts, that God will use us anyway, I will be more open to accepting His unique calling on my life.

Honestly, I cannot wait to impart more of how Hansen’s words touched me in a deep and personal way in future posts; but today, I pose the question, “Have you ever felt like an Unfinished Misfit, but now you are able to view God’s purpose in a new light?” Please share in the comments below.

Reference:

Hansen, B. (2017). Blessed are the misfits: Great news for believers who are introverts, spiritual strugglers, or just feel like they’re missing something. Thomas Nelson.