A Tool In God's HandsSample

Having a Vision

Do you know that when God wants to use a person, He starts by putting a burden in their hearts? God first shows them a problem, before He sends them out to solve that specific problem. The burden God places in our heart is what separates vision from ambition. Ambition is wanting to attain success for a selfish reason, but a vision is rising to solve a problem that does not only affect you.

If we study the lives of people that God has used such Nehemiah, who rose to become the governor of Jerusalem because he received the news that Jerusalem lies in ruins and the walls of Jerusalem has been destroyed. Because of this news, Nehemiah became pressed with the burden to repair the ruins of Jerusalem, to rebuild the wall and most importantly, return the hearts of the inhabitants of Jerusalem back to God.

The same was with Moses, who, having been raised in the palace of Pharaoh was pressed with the burden to deliver the Hebrews from the oppression of their Egyptian masters. For this reason, the Bible states that he was not proud to be called the prince of Egypt but shared in the suffering of his brothers. It was this same burden that led to him killing an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew. At the appointed time, when Moses had learnt what it means to be a shepherd, God raised Moses as the deliverer of Israel and gave him a vision of the Promised Land.

God’s calling of Abraham from his father house was not just about making Abraham rich and giving him a son. The vision God gave Abraham was to establish the route to salvation and righteousness – both for the Jews and Gentiles. Therefore, the Bible tells us that those who are of the faith of Abraham have become engrafted into the commonwealth of Israel as the adoption. 

Therefore, God’s call starts with a vision – a burden for His people. So, if you have a desire to become a tool in God’s hands, ask yourself these questions “what is the vision God has given me? What burden do I have in my heart? What specific problem have identified?” If you cannot genuinely answer these questions, then chances are you just being ambitious and have not yet heard a call from God. My advice, therefore, will be to go back to the place of prayer and seek the face of God concerning the desire in your heart.