When I was a young nurse, I had the incredible opportunity to go on a mission trip to Mexico.

I had one issue: a language barrier. Although I knew the basic rules of conjugating a verb in Spanish, I was far from fluent.

It didn’t stop me from taking up the challenge, so I hopped on a white van with a group of young doctors, and off we went to a small village to provide medical care.

When we finally got out of the van, I was shivering in the night wind. Maybe I was cold….maybe nervous, but I was feeling adventurous.

Our days were packed with seeing patients and our evenings were spent playing ball with young children and worshiping in a small building.

One afternoon, I remember meeting a young girl who had been through a difficult time. As I listened to her, I could see a door opening to share Jesus with her.

If someone fluent in Spanish could have heard me that day, they would’ve had a good laugh. I fumbled through my sentences, but one word that this young woman and I both shared in common was “Jesus”.

I could tell she was understanding what I was trying to get across. At the end of my our time together, she decided to give her life to Jesus!

Ya’ll, if I couldn’t conjugate verbs well BEFORE the prayer, I sure had to watch my words through my tears and overwhelming sense of joy as we prayed together. The words wanted to rush out of my mouth!

Language didn’t seem to matter because the message of Jesus broke through the barrier. Her heart was softened and she could understand.

Ezekiel the prophet was called to speak to a people who spoke the SAME language as him…but they couldn’t understand him.

No language barrier…but there was another obstacle.

“You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel.” Ezekiel 3:5 NIV

In other words, language was not an issue.

So, what was it?

“But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.” Ezekiel 3:7 NIV

Not willing. Hardened. Obstinate.

It was not about a LANGUAGE barrier, but about a hardened heart.

Even if you have a language barrier, but a soft heart, things will sink in.

Conversely, if you have NO language barrier but a hard heart and unwillingness to listen, you will miss hearing God’s voice.

What message can we take away from this? There are a lot of missed opportunities when we don’t listen.

Friends, the principles you need to live a life of abundance and peace is right there in your Bible. The thing is- you need to be willing to follow through on what it says.

Yes, we have our own ideas of how we should live, but if our plans are slightly out of line of what the Bible instructs, isn’t that a dangerous place to be? Just as the Israelites.

God is desiring for you to live an out-of-this-world, incredible, amazing, jaw-dropping life. All you have to do is say, “God, I am willing. Soften my heart. What do you want to do through me?”

And just wait to see what God will do through a willing heart. You can’t even imagine it.

~Elizabeth/Betsy