What IS a willing heart? How is it identified?
As I consider these questions, I thought of Isaiah 1:19 where the prophet promises, “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
God is very eager for us to enjoy life as He intended.
John 10:10 “Jesus came to give us life and give us life more abundantly”
God did not leave this to chance, He gave us very clear direction through His Word; how to live and respond to His commands and instructions. If we read and study His Word we will have a choice to make:
Will we respond in obedience to those instructions and experience the abundant life He promises?
Or will we choose to resist and rebel against them?
It’s our choice, because He created us with a free will to choose whatever we want—BUT He has not given us the freedom to choose the consequences of our decisions. That is His choice. If we choose to resist His way there will be negative consequences; and that is what Isaiah promises is this verse. In essence he is saying, ‘If you choose to willingly obey Him, then you’ll be blessed, but if you resist His way and go your own, it leads to death.’ Maybe not physical death, but certainly death spiritually—dead in your spirit toward the things of God. Or emotional death, resulting in apathy, bitterness, anger, depression, etc. A willing heart identifies the ‘right way’
and follows it, willingly.
Jesus is the ultimate example of a willing-heart, when He faced death on the cross for our sins and said, ”Father, not what I will, but what You will, that’s what I want.”
Jesus is the ultimate example of a willing-heart, when He faced death on the cross for our sins and said, ”Father, not what I will, but what You will, that’s what I want.”
Mike Wells book, My Weakness for His Strength, says :
“Why do we keep our hands on? There is only one reason, unbelief. We believe Humility has laid aside all strength, embraces weakness and surrenders to God…we worry over all we need to do and never move into the supernatural to experience that He can do. The secret is that when we place our anxiety upon Him, not only does He carry it, but He also picks us up and carries us to new places…In my weakness I give my worries, and in weakness Jesus imparts His strength. “For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you.” (2 Cor. 13:4) To be willing he says, “Jesus, I cast every anxiety on You. I take my hands off, and I know and trust that
I HAVE A GOD.”
In thinking about having a willing heart, I ponder Deuteronomy 30:19- 20,
“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life”
In thinking about having a willing heart, I ponder Deuteronomy 30:19- 20,
“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life”
So our struggle in the Christian life is with our willingness to choose HIS LIFE—instead of our own. Recognizing that choosing our way, doesn’t work and leads to death.
Elihu told Job, “God is mighty, but does not despise men; He is mighty and firm in His purpose…He does not take His eyes off the righteous… He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil. If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge.” (Job 36: 10-13)
Choice is a wonderful thing that God has given us! When I was a young believer I used to pray,” Lord, make me ‘willing to be made willing’ if I am not”. God has given me a willing heart and the knowledge that in my weakness He is strong. Without Him I can do NOTHING—even try to make my heart willing—only He can do that! And I am so grateful when He does that for me.
Finally, as I read Proverbs, I am reminded of the difference it makes in my life when I choose to have a willing heart.
Elihu told Job, “God is mighty, but does not despise men; He is mighty and firm in His purpose…He does not take His eyes off the righteous… He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil. If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge.” (Job 36: 10-13)
Choice is a wonderful thing that God has given us! When I was a young believer I used to pray,” Lord, make me ‘willing to be made willing’ if I am not”. God has given me a willing heart and the knowledge that in my weakness He is strong. Without Him I can do NOTHING—even try to make my heart willing—only He can do that! And I am so grateful when He does that for me.
Finally, as I read Proverbs, I am reminded of the difference it makes in my life when I choose to have a willing heart.
Proverbs 1: 27-33, “When calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
It’s a choice to have a willing heart.
Ask God, today, to give you this gift……it’s a blessing!!
