For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 2 Corinthians 8:12
When I decided to participate in the high school track events, I chose the quarter mile event as being the most likely for me to succeed. It was a good choice, because I did eventually win the race. But when I was preparing for it, I received a big surprise. I thought that, in order to go faster, I had to merely make up my mind to move my legs faster. The surprise came when the legs didn’t move any faster. My mind could not force them to a greater speed, no matter how hard I tried. I had to work harder to get into better condition, and then my legs would move faster. A willing mind wasn’t enough to win the race. But it was an important part of the preparation. So it is in the Christian race.
There are many things that we are unable to do when we start out in our Christian service. After we are saved, we often have much more zeal than knowledge. The key is to maintain the zeal as we accumulate the knowledge. That’s not always easy. We need to work on maintaining a willing mind, otherwise we become lazy and ineffective Christians. We also need to remind ourselves that God doesn’t expect us to be what we are not; He just expects us to do the best we can with what we have been given and with what we know.
The expression ‘what a man hath’ is important. Not all of us have had the same opportunity to receive good teaching. Not all of us have had access to the same resources for learning. Not all of us have been given the same opportunities to witness, speak, and serve the Lord. And God doesn’t hold any of that against anybody. He considers us according to what opportunities, resources, and environments we have encountered. A lack is no excuse, because God has given us all something.
What has God given you to equip you for His service? You have a certain amount of mental and physical skills. You have an Assembly and its resources. You have teachers and guides and examples. You have a Bible and the ability to read and study it. You have the Throne of Grace where you can access everything that God promises to His own. What you have is enough to make you a profitable servant.
But do you have a willing mind? Without a willing mind, you are of little use for God. -Jim MacIntosh