A man of God overheard two of his associates talking. One said he’d avoid learning to drive like the other because if he learned, the pastor would keep sending him on errands. The man of God observed both of them for years. The one who refused to learn driving still struggles with driving and has not become useful.
Friend, God wants you to become useful (Acts 16:1-5). Usefulness is more of availability than ability. It is more about service than skill. If you have skills and abilities without being available for service, you will end up becoming irrelevant to God and your generation (Acts 13:36). If you are not useful to God and people, you would not also be useful to yourself.
Most of the things that will benefit you and help your destiny would be acquired while serving or helping others (1 Timothy 4:14-16). For example, if you learn to intercede for others, you are already developing a prayer life that would help you personally. If you don’t manage someone else’s money or business well, you won’t also manage yours well (Luke 16:10-12).
Don’t be afraid of being used. It is those who are used that become useful (Philippians 2:19-22). It is those who take up responsibility that become responsible. It is those who serve that become leaders. If you keep dodging responsibility, you are dodging greatness without knowing (Matthew 23:11).
Service is not slavery. It depends on your attitude and perspective (Colossians 3:22-25). The fact that you run errands for a superior does not make you a slave. Others may think you are, but you must not see yourself as one. Rather, see yourself as someone of value who’s contributing to people and places. It is about mindset (Philippians 2:5-11).
When you become useful, you become needed. Don’t be a needy person. Be a needed person (Acts 9:36-42). No matter what you lack, there’s something you have that can bless others. Focus on that instead of focusing on your needs. Relationships are supposed to be symbiotic, not parasitic (Luke 8:1-3). Don’t be a parasite. Become useful.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria