Are You Available?

“God isn’t interested in our skills. He just wants to know if we’re available.”

Yesterday, we spent three hours listening to one of the wisest men I’ve ever met, Smokey John Reeves, and his words are still replaying in my mind.

While spiritual gifts are important, we often times get too wrapped up in them, and tend to “place ourselves” where we think we fit in, rather than let God direct us.

We’ve joined a new church, and I confess I went ahead of God to start. Because I’m involved in a women’s ministry outside the church, I thought women’s ministry inside the church would be the obvious place to volunteer. During our process of praying about this move, I met with a women’s ministry pastor. I also tried to volunteer at this church’s women’s conference, but there was a roadblock because we weren’t members yet.

It was then that I realized I was looking at God in my rearview mirror, rather than following his taillights.

I simply needed to tell him I was available, and wait for him to navigate me to the location where he wants me to serve.

Do you drive ahead of God?

Do you decide when and where you will serve him?

We need to be Holy Spirit led, and wait on him.

Even Jesus didn’t take a step unless his Father told him where to proceed. In John 5:19 he said, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”

Waiting for his direction is one of the most difficult things God asks us to do, but there are blessings when we serve where God has called us, not where we desire to serve.

When we actually went through the membership process at our new church, there were volunteer boxes we could check to get involved. I refrained, and asked the Lord, “What do you want me to do?” No answer, so I didn’t check any.

So I’m waiting. God knows the timing is not right now. We are in the midst of a move, and I can barely keep up with my other responsibilities. He’ll let me when it’s time to check the box.

So, what’s on your agenda today? Are you ready for whatever God has in store for you? Are you prepared to follow him wherever he leads?

Are you available?

It’s time to release our appointment books to God. When we do, we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are in his will for our lives.