Make Yourself an Option
“Make yourself an option! “The phrase I sat and pondered as I heard one of the lacrosse parents yell. As I tried to make sense of what they were screaming to their child, a lightbulb went off in my head. Of course—make yourself the obvious choice. Run the fastest, break away from the crowd, and do your best to get open so that it is obvious, the ball should go to you. As I thought about that statement, my mind went to a scripture in Isaiah 6:8. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me.’” When it comes to advancing God’s kingdom and fulfilling His purposes, I want to be reminded to make myself an option.
What does it mean to make yourself an option for the Lord to use? In moments where you feel like Isaiah did, with your hand raised saying “Pick me, pick me God” it’s important to remember He hasn’t forgotten you. If God puts a desire in your heart, He hasn’t overlooked you or left you hanging. God will bring the purposes of God to pass in your life, even if you feel like his timing is behind. There have been countless moments in my life when I felt like I was ready, ready for what God had in store—yet I felt benched. In the moments when you feel like you’re ready to be used, yet you’re not seeing any movement remember God’s timing is perfect. When you feel like you’re ready, chances are that you’re really not ready. It’s important to trust God. Waiting is not a waste. If you’re in a waiting season, know it is more than waiting—it’s preparation. The way you steward your heart in the waiting season is a way that you can make yourself an option to God. There is a way to wait that disqualifies you and a way of waiting that makes you the obvious choice when it’s time.
Keep sowing good seed.
Galatians 6:9 talks about the weariness that can come with doing good yet not seeing a harvest. The Bible reminds us to keep doing good—and eventually, we will see the breakthrough. There is nothing worse than a teammate who gets tired of practicing and not playing, so he quits. He takes his ball and goes home. God is looking for commitment. He’s looking for those who say, even if I don’t see the fullness of the promise, I won’t quit. Keep doing good. Stay disciplined in the principles that have gotten you to where you are. The enemy would love for you to quit, to stop sowing seeds of righteousness (right living). The harvest you have today is a result of the seeds you have sown yesterday. The harvest of tomorrow is dependent on what you do today.
Commit to growth.
Run faster, and work harder than everyone around you (figuratively speaking). But the principle is to keep showing up. Show up with your best, even if you’re in a season where you are on the bench cheering others on. Make sure to always give God your best. Serve at church, attend prayer meetings, ask God to do a work in you so that He can work through you at greater levels. Commit to the process of growth, God’s way. Allow Him to remove anything that’s holding you back.
Commit to learning. If He has called you to something that you’re still waiting for, start to grow your gift in that area. Read books, find a mentor, study to show yourself approved. When God says it’s time, you will have made yourself the obvious option!
Stay encouraged.
Learn to be your own cheerleader. There are going to be moments in waiting when discouragement tries to sneak in. Discouragement will steal your courage (your spiritual strength). David battled discouragement. When David started to feel down on himself in 1 Samuel 30:6. The Bible says that David was distressed, but he encouraged himself in the Lord. Your voice is the loudest voice you hear and believe. If you are going to stay spiritually ready for your due season, you are going to have to override your emotions and encourage yourself in what God says about you in his word. The next time discouragement tries to take you out of the game, speak out God’s word over your life--you will be so full of courage and confidence that you will be the obvious option!