Willingness

Has there ever been a time in your life that God has placed a word or phrase on your heart? It may be something you have heard a million times in your life, but He keeps whispering it in your ear in a certain season.

For me lately, God has been whispering the phrase 'willingness to be used by God' to me. God's whispers can be easy to ignore at times, but this one I decided was something I wanted to figure out. What about my willingness or unwillingness to be used by God is so important in my life right at this moment?

This has brought me to a time of reflection on my life, questioning my present, and pondering on my future. How have I been willing to be used by God in my past? Is that why I am where I am today or am I still on my own agenda? What am I doing right now? Am I available to whatever God calls me to do each and everyday? What about my future? Do I have it so planned out that I have left no room to be willing to do anything outside of my plan?

This makes me think of Paul. He was a pretty awesome dude. He didn't start out that way, but God transformed his heart and used him in a mighty way. I feel like Paul was a guy that was willing to be used by God in any way that God called him. Paul was willing to go to jail and be killed for the sake of Christ. I would definitely call him a willing man.

What about Abraham? That man was willing to kill his son that God had promised him and that he had waited for. Why? Because God told him to.

Job? That dude went through some mess. He was willing to do go through all of the trials that were put in his life because he knew that the only important thing was that God was still the Lord of His life.

I think Mary is a pretty good example of a woman willing to be used by God. She gave up her reputation, relationships, status, and life to give birth to Jesus. (S/o to Mary. Thanks!) I am sure she didn't look back on her willingness and regret it. 

These may seem like drastic examples, but sometimes God calls us to do crazy things that do not make sense in our lives. I am sure many of you can think back on a time of confusion, where you didn't understand why God was asking you to do a certain thing, but now you see His faithful plan. I know this has happened to me.

I think that as we learn to submit to God and be willing to do whatever little or big thing He wants in our lives, we will also learn more about God's faithfulness.

The question I ask myself today is am I willing? Am I willing to drastic things, or weird things, or simple things for my God? Is my heart ready? Am I living in a state of readiness to do whatever God asks of me?

I still don't know exactly why God continues to whisper for me to be willing to be used by Him. Maybe He is about to call me to something extreme, or maybe He just wanted me to write this blog. All I know is that I will choose to trust Him.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:11-13

"For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have." -2 Corinthians 8:12