useful or used by God

There is a fine line between being useful to man and used by God. I think we all want to try to be both all at the same time. We want to be important and useful to others but we also want to be used by God. So what's the difference?
To be useful to man is to be somewhat selfish in our desire to please others and to do for others things that make us feel good. There is nothing wrong with doing things that make us feel good that are useful to others. But, there is a problem when we are seeking that so strongly that we cannot be used by God. God calls us to follow and seek His will, not to be handy or important in this world.
Paul was preparing to go to Jerusalem at the end of his missinonary journeys and he is constantly told not to go. One of the ways they attempt to stop him is by telling him he can't be replaced. He's so important to them, and to the Gospel that he can't possibly go into an area that will surely put him to death. His response, however, was that he needed to be used by God not useful to man.
I've heard it many times, "the graveyards are full of people who thought they were irreplaceable". This is all too true. Moses was an awesome leader, but as soon as he was out of the picture Joshua stepped in and took them into the promised land. So, Moses was definitely replaceable.
Acts 21:12-14 "WHen we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, 'Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.'"
Paul thought it was great to be important, but like the lilies and the stars, you are only important if you fulfill God's plan for you. He would love to stay important and useful to man and the spread of the Gospel, but fullfilling God's will for his life was first and foremost in his life.So try to shrug off the need to be important to man, and prove your useful ness to God. He has a plan for you and there is no amount of man's praise that will come close to the feeling of being inside of God's will.
Thanks for reading and have a great week! I am off to Division Finals in Georgia and hope to bring home so trophies!