God, we will do anything. Anything.
-Jennie Allen
This kind of prayer scares me. I remember being in college and praying words similar to these, but not really understanding what they meant. Anything? Really? Do I really dare ask God to do anything with my life? I want to have this conversation with him, but it terrifies me.
My college years felt like they were constantly plagued with the question of "my calling". I felt lost and ready to find direction. When I told God I'd go anywhere and do anything, I still had certain visuals in my head. I thought of glamorous adventures, something like traveling the world with little to my name or stepping out into Hollywood to share the Truth with all those celebrities. For real, that was a direction my mind went in college. I'd think about the brokenness in the film and TV industry, and I'd pray that God might use me there if it was his will. It wasn't. It probably won't be. Like I said, my thoughts about "anything" were a little more exciting than what the prayer really entailed.
When we offer ourselves to God fully, when we ask him to do absolutely anything with our lives, I believe he will answer faithfully. Anything means we might not get any credit. It means we may lose people or things we love. Praying this big prayer opens us up to great risk. And that is what is so scary to me. I understand God's character more than I did in college, and I see how he has this incredible power to use people and advance his Kingdom. But I've also seen that his ways often include difficulty and discomfort. Am I still willing to pray this way?
I want to say yes. I want to be in that fragile, trusting place with God that says yes to risk and uncertainty. Because saying yes to God's way, as unsure as it may feel, means I'm submitting to him. I'm being obedient. I'm trusting this Father and King that I've come to know and love. I want to say yes. I want to pray this way. Knowing a bit more of Jennie Allen's story, I see how her surrender to God's will totally changed her life, as well as so many others. In a desperate effort to leave behind the comfortable and safe, Allen prayed this prayer with her husband. What followed was a list of crazy, hard, and awesome events. They adopted a child from overseas, she wrote a lot of good material, and most notably, she founded IF:Gathering, a collaboration and conference for women striving to follow Jesus with their whole lives. The work that God began through that prayer, through her trust, has been astounding. I'm just one of thousands who have been greatly impacted by God's faithfulness in answering that prayer.
As I learn to pray and I learn to love your Word, grow my ability to say yes to whatever you ask of me. Let me listen, trust, and obey, God. Do anything you want with my life. Let that prayer become more sincere and real to me.
Amen.