God Loves a Willing Heart

God loves a willing heart

God called Mary. He called her to do the unthinkable. I’m not referring to giving birth to the Son of God although, that was pretty major! No, I’m referring to God calling Mary to be willing and God loves a willing heart.

Think about it. 

Mary had to be willing to do as God called her in the face of adversity. She was going to face her hardest trial yet. Mary was young, poor, not yet married…and was pregnant! People she knew and loved would turn their backs on her.

Mary had never been intimate with a man before therefore, how can she be pregnant? Can you imagine the gossip going around? The looks. The innuendos. People talking behind her back. 

What would you do if you were in her shoes? 

Well, I feel a little like Mary at the moment. No, I am not pregnant! I feel God is asking me if I am ready to take the next step in carrying out His purpose in my life. 

I’ve had a stirring in my heart now for about 3-4 years. I said yes to God for Him to use me and to use what I had been through in my past. It’s been a long period of cultivating my heart and waiting on what God wants me to do.

It’s not been easy. Sometimes it’s been a painful learning process but, God has strengthened me in my healing. He gave me opportunities at various times to share my story.

Over the last 3-4 years, how He has wanted to use me has remained unanswered, and at times this has been frustrating. I want to help other people who have been through similar situations to my own and I know what I have been through in my life will make a difference for others. 

Well, this has changed over the last month. I feel a big stirring inside me that something big is going to happen. I’ll be honest though…I am scared!

I’m on the launch team for Mary DeMuth’s book “We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crises”. When I saw what this book was about, I realised I had to jump at the chance to be on the launch team. I am passionate about helping people who have been sexually abused.

The scary bit? Being a voice for those who need to be heard. This means being vulnerable and leaving myself open. And that is scary. 

I have questioned if this is the right thing for me to do. After all, I could just keep quiet and have an easier life! However, I feel I have this deep stirring in my heart and I need to be willing. No matter how scared I feel. This is what it means to have a willing heart in the moment when God asks something of you. 

Could you be like Mary?

Have you been praying for God to use you in some way and has He asked you to do the unthinkable? What would you honestly do?

Are you scared and would you respond by hiding away? Well, God will give you strength. 

Isaiah 41:10

Would you say you are not worthy to be chosen? Well, God says you are so worthy. 

John 15:16

Or, would you be like Mary and say, “Here I am, Lord”?

Luke 1:38

If you are scared, don’t be. We just need to have a willing heart. God will do the rest. He will prepare us for what is to come next. 

If you are scared, don’t be. We just need to have a willing heart. God will do the rest. Click To Tweet

This post was originally written for the Five Minute Friday Community which is where a number of writers gather for a weekly writing challenge around a single word prompt. We write to our hearts content and only for five minutes (or there abouts). 

I couldn’t stick to five minutes on this one and ended up missing the link up! Doh!! The word prompt was “willing” and you can click here to view what other people have written. 

6 thoughts on “God Loves a Willing Heart”

  1. Lynne you are such an inspiration! I know that God will be able to use you mightily in this most sensitive area. One of my most favourite sayings is ‘in God’s economy, nothing is wasted’ and i truly believe that. I had epilepsy which was a problem for quite a few years, yet found in that time that i met people who either had the same problem, yet couldnt handle it, or had a relative/child in that position. Because i had come to terms with it, i felt God was using my own experience to help these folk. So let Him lead you to support and stand alongside those who need empathy and real understanding in their pain.

    1. Thank you Valerie for you kind words and your encouragement. You’re right, God doesn’t waste anything! We just need to make sure we are willing to be the people that can shine some light on the darkness that surrounds others.

  2. You have such a lovely willing heart. And your words speak to your love for God…

    “I have questioned if this is the right thing for me to do. After all, I could just keep quiet and have an easier life! However, I feel I have this deep stirring in my heart and I need to be willing. No matter how scared I feel. This is what it means to have a willing heart in the moment when God asks something of you.”

Thank you for taking the time to read. If you like what you have read today, then please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought.