Reluctance to Respond

Reluctance often disguises itself as caution, humility, or busyness, yet it can quietly keep us from the very places God is calling us to go. Scripture repeatedly shows how people resist divine invitations—and how God’s grace meets them in their hesitation.

Reluctance in Scripture

Moses argued that he was not eloquent enough to speak for God before Pharaoh, but the Lord refused to accept his refusal (Ex 4:10). Jonah knew that Nineveh’s repentance would bring mercy to Israel’s enemies, so he fled rather than preach (Jnh 1:1-3; 4:2). Even in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the priest and Levite passed by the wounded traveller, reluctant to interrupt their journey, while the Samaritan crossed boundaries to show mercy (Lk 10:25-37). Jesus’ command, “Go and do likewise,” calls us beyond convenient excuses.

We are also called to bless and pray for those who cause us trouble, rather than begrudge them receiving mercy from God (Lk 6:28). When we see reluctance in biblical characters, we ought to recognise the same tendency in ourselves.

The Cost of Holding Back

Personal reluctance can be just as costly. We may hesitate to share our faith because we fear ridicule or rejection, yet the Holy Spirit both convicts and empowers us to speak. At times we need the encouragement of others to leave our comfort zone; at other times we need to recognise that growth always involves the discomfort of change. We cannot have the joy of mature faith without the labour of being stretched.

Often there is a hesitancy to let go of the tangible, sinful pleasures of this present life so we can gain the blessings of the unseen future in eternity.

Why do I hold back?

Choosing God often means surrendering something we can see and touch today in exchange for blessings we cannot yet see. There is a real cost: the pride that must be humbled, the habit that must be broken, the reputation that may be risked, and the comfort that must be left behind. Yet the reward far outweighs the loss. When we turn from sin, we are freed from its shame and power. When we invest in God’s Kingdom, we store up treasure that neither rusts nor fades. When we offer our time and energy to the work of the Spirit, He shapes our character into the likeness of Christ, producing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Satan keeps our eyes fixed on the temporary, but faith lifts them to the eternal. What we give up is small and passing; what we gain is vast and everlasting. Therefore we can be enthusiastic, not reluctant, to lay our lives before God, knowing that every sacrifice made for Him becomes the seed of lasting joy.

Responding to God’s Call

The proper response to God’s call is surrender. Isaiah’s “Here I am, send me” (Isa 6:8) stands as a model for every believer. We are clay in the potter’s hands, with no right to resist the shape He gives our lives (Isa 45:9). Because Christ gave Himself completely for us, we no longer live for ourselves but for Him (2 Cor 5:15).

We should humbly want to be used by God to make a difference in this world. Volunteer and become involved in Kingdom affairs, especially in the lives of people. If He calls, He enables. Co-operate and walk in the anointing of His Spirit to accomplish what He desires through our lives. He bought us with His blood so we should no longer live for selfish purposes. He gave His life without reserve to gain our life — can we give Him anything less? Don’t we want others to experience His hand on their lives too, and have eternal life?

Why be unwilling to allow God to use you in His service?

Reflection and Application:

Where am I making excuses instead of obeying God’s promptings?
Who in my life needs the mercy I have been reluctant to show?
What temporary pleasure am I clinging to at the expense of eternal gain?
How can I offer myself more fully to God’s purposes this week?