Over the past few weeks, the question that the Lord has been asking me is, “Are you available?” You see, God has been crossing my path with quite a few people who keep telling me stories of how God has been using people who have simply made themselves available to Him. It’s really easy to think that God only uses people who are gifted and talented or mature in the faith. But, that couldn’t be further from the truth. I believe God uses people who simply make themselves available to Him. Let me explain. When God calls us to something we can trust that He will enable us to do the work He’s called us do. But, we need to let go of our own agendas and expectations and just come with a willing spirit and expectant heart. God is near to us and I believe is continually talking to us, but most of us fail to recognize His voice when He speaks because we are so consumed with our own agendas and in achieving our own expectations.

I am and have been a spiritual director to a growing number of people which I disciple in hearing the voice of God for themselves. I believe that God’s heart is to position all of His children for Kingdom work, but because we have made ourselves unavailable to Him; we get passed over and God raises up someone else. Recently, I’ve been hearing story after story of God positioning the most unlikely of people to do great and amazing things for His Kingdom simply because they made themselves available to Him. People who trusted in their ability to hear God and who also believed that God could empower and equip them for whatever work He was calling them to do. How well do you recognize our Shepherd’s voice? I am constantly having to remind myself that I do hear God and that He does speak to me through Scripture (of course), but also through my thoughts, imagination and the feelings and convictions within my heart. The Holy Spirit dwells within us (1 Corinthians 6:19) and speaks directly to us (Romans 8:16). God also speaks to me through other people, music, animals and creation at large. Viewing creation often makes me marvel all the more at the amazingness of God our Creator. If we seek to hear God’s voice, He will reveal Himself to us (Matthew 7:7,8; James 4:8).

But, at the end of the day, step one for us is to simply say, “Here am I. Send me” (Isaiah 6:8 NIV) and not worry about what step two is. Instead, we need to trust that God will empower and equip us in preparation for whatever is step two, three, four, five, etc. But, if you’re like me, it’s really easy to spend too much time waiting on God, when often times He’s already spoken to me and I am just being hesitant, fearful, even lazy at times. God has been steadily weening me off of needing to know too many steps because He wants to cultivate more faith in me. I mean, it really doesn’t take much faith if we already know what lies ahead. But, the more we make ourselves available to God, the more He will stretch and build faith in us by positioning us in situations that will proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near. I’ve heard this preached and I believe it to be true: doing great things for the Kingdom of God demands great faith. What I’m starting to believe is that God is waiting for more people to simply say to Him, “Lord, whatever You would have me do, I am willing.”

Just last week I was in Toronto, Ontario with some friends both old and new and we ended up walking around a public park, listening to Holy Spirit’s voice and leading in whom He desired that we talk to, pray with and prophesize for. In some Christian circles this is called “treasure hunting.” It was an amazing time. God lead us to very specific people, who needed to know that God sees them, loves them and wants to heal and save them and redeem the pain in their lives. He did this by giving us descriptive clues like green shirt, big sunglasses, straw hat with ribbon, park benches and brown sandals. Afterwards, I was spending time with God processing all that happened, when I asked Him if there were more people that we could talk to, pray with and prophesize for. What I heard next, I will never forget. God said to me that “there will always be more work, there will always be someone who needs to be loved and cared for.” In that moment, I felt the immensity of the work that lay ahead. I mean aren’t those Jesus’ words in Luke 10:2 which says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

So this is my prayer: “Father, soften our hearts towards You. Set us free from whatever hinders us from making ourselves available to You. Forgive us for when we get too busy with our own lives and in building our own kingdoms. Change our hearts Lord, transform us into people who simply believe that You can raise anyone up to do great things for Your Kingdom. Cultivate the faith needed within us to do the greater works that You said we would do. We believe You when You say that “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” We want to be those workers whom You call to labor in Your harvest fields. We trust You Father with our very lives and the lives of our families. In Jesus Name, Amen.