📖 “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land."
Isaiah 1:19
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." — Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)
His grace really is sufficient, especially in the places we feel weakest (2 Corinthians 12:9).
So if you're hesitating today, unsure whether to step out, unsure if you’re “qualified” to lead, love, speak or serve — just know this: God can do so much with a willing yes.
Reflection:
I never thought I was the “leadership type.”
For years, I quietly disqualified myself from roles that asked for boldness, visibility, or influence. Not out of laziness or indifference — but because I had seen how leadership, when misused or misaligned, could wound people. I had tasted the bitterness of broken trust and watched how good intentions sometimes led to unintentional harm. I didn’t want to be part of that.
Add to that the whispers of self-doubt: Who do you think you are? You don’t have what it takes. I saw leaders as polished, poised, and powerful — and I didn’t fit that picture. I was more soft-spoken than assertive, more reflective than commanding. I felt safer in the background, supporting others from the shadows.
"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!'" — Isaiah 6:8 (NIV)
But God doesn’t call us based on appearances. He calls us according to His purpose — and He sees our hearts.
A few weeks ago, the leaders at Speakers Tribe NZ called for more leaders. And to my surprise, something within me said yes. Not a resounding, flawless yes — but a humble, trembling, willing yes.
I said, “I’m willing to serve, to build, and to believe in people before they believe in themselves. If that’s the kind of leadership we’re building — count me in.”
That yes led me to create a short video about the power of saying yes, and soon after, I was invited to join the Inaugural Speakers Tribe Leadership Team for Aotearoa.
It still makes my heart swell. Not because of the title or recognition — but because this is a mark of healing. A marker of growth. An investment in my personal development. A sign that I’m no longer running from what I thought leadership had to be.
Instead, I’m learning to embrace leadership as service. As listening. As love in action.
I’ve come to believe that leadership rooted in integrity and compassion doesn’t climb ladders — it builds bridges. It doesn’t stand above — it walks beside. It doesn’t demand perfection — it invites presence.
And so, I keep showing up with my willing heart, shaky voice and all, trusting that God will shape the rest. Because in the Kingdom, obedience matters more than expertise. Willingness more than worthiness.
Life Application:
Affirmation:
Creative Prompt:
Take a quiet moment and find a space where you can breathe deeply and be still. On a fresh page in your journal, write the heading: “Where I Am Willing.” Let your heart speak without judgement.
List three areas where God might be inviting you to step forward — whether it’s in leadership, healing, creativity, reconciliation, or rest. Don’t overthink. Just let it flow.
Next to each area, write a short sentence beginning with: “Lord, I say yes…”Let this be your offering — a small but sacred act of surrender.
If you enjoy visual reflection, create a collage or mood board titled “My Willing Yes”using images, textures, or colours that express the season you’re stepping into.
Closing Prayer:
Lord, You see the corners of my heart where fear still whispers and doubt still lingers. Yet You continue to call me — not to perform, but to participate. Not to impress, but to obey.
Thank You for Your patience, Your tenderness, and the quiet ways You’ve been preparing me all along.
Today I bring You my “yes.” It may not be loud or confident, but it is honest and surrendered. Shape me into the kind of leader who listens more than speaks, who builds more than competes, and who loves more than seeks applause.
Let my life point to You.
Make my obedience fruitful — not for my own gain, but so that others might taste the goodness of Your grace.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
I’d love to hear your thoughts if this story resonated with you! Please take a moment to rate it or share your constructive feedback in the comments below — it means so much. Don't hesitate to share it with someone whom you feel might benefit from it.