Could You Be That Person? The Heart God is Looking For

Have you ever stopped to think about what God is doing right now? We often get so caught up in our own "to-do" lists, our own struggles, and our own small circles that we forget the Creator of the universe is actively engaged with the world He made. He isn’t just sitting back, waiting for us to stumble so He can point a finger. Instead, He is on a search. He is looking for someone.

When I, Austin Gardner, look back over fifty years of ministry, from the Andean mountains to the quiet moments of mentoring leaders today, I see a recurring theme. God isn't looking for the most talented, the most educated, or the most "put-together" person in the room. He is looking for a specific kind of heart. Specifically, He is looking for a heart that has stopped trying to be its own savior and has started resting in His strength.

The imagery in this verse is incredible. It says the eyes of the Lord run "to and fro" throughout the "whole earth." Think about that for a second. God is scanning the globe. He is looking beyond the headlines, beyond the politics, and beyond the giant cathedrals. His gaze is moving across every city, every hidden village, and every lonely apartment.

He is searching for a place to land His power.

However, we often misunderstand what He is looking for. We think He is looking for a "perfect" person, someone who never messes up, someone who has every Bible verse memorized, and someone who never struggles with doubt. If that were the case, His search would have ended a long time ago with a big "zero" on the scoreboard.

In my own journey, through seasons of health and through the heavy days of battling Stage 4 cancer, I realized that God wasn't looking for my performance. He was looking for my dependence. He wants to show Himself strong. He isn't looking for people who are already strong; He is looking for people who know they are weak so that His grace can be the hero of the story.

To understand this verse, we have to look at the man it was written to: King Asa. Now, Asa started out great. He was a reformer. He tore down idols and led the people back to God. Early in his reign, when a massive army came against him, he cried out to God and saw a miraculous victory. He knew what it felt like to have God show Himself strong on his behalf.

But something changed as he got older. Success can be a dangerous thing if it leads us to believe we no longer need to rely on God. When another threat arose later in his life, instead of seeking the Lord, Asa made an alliance with the King of Syria. He used his own wisdom and his own resources to solve a problem that required divine intervention.

The prophet Hanani came to him and essentially said, "Don’t you realize why God used you before? It was because you relied on Him!"

It is easy to start in faith and end in works. It is easy to start by resting in mercy and end by striving in legalism. I’ve been there. I didn’t become legalistic because I hated grace; I became legalistic because I loved God and was afraid of losing Him. But the lesson of Asa is clear: God doesn’t need your alliances or your clever plans. He needs your heart.

When the Bible uses the word "perfect" here, it doesn't mean sinless. If God were looking for sinless perfection, the eyes of the Lord would be running to and fro forever without finding a single candidate. In the Hebrew context, a "perfect" heart is an undivided heart. It’s a loyal heart. It’s a heart that says, "I am all in with You, Lord."

Think of it like a marriage. My wife doesn't expect me to be a perfect human being who never makes a mistake, but she does expect me to be 100% loyal to her. An undivided heart is one that doesn't have "Plan B" options tucked away in case God doesn't show up.

A heart perfect toward Him is a heart that finds its satisfaction in Jesus alone. It’s a heart that recognizes:

When we rest in the finished work of Christ, our hearts become "perfect" in the sense that they are finally positioned correctly. We stop looking at our own hands to see what we can do and start looking at His hands to see what He has already done. This is the foundation of faith-based development in the life of any believer.

The world tells us to be self-made. The world tells us to "find our inner strength." But the Kingdom of God works on a completely different economy. God is looking to show Himself strong. If you are already "strong" in your own eyes, there isn't much room for God to do anything.

Imagine if you stepped up today and said, "God, I cannot reach this city, but You can. I cannot disciple this person in my own wisdom, but You can. I am not strong, but I know that You are."

That is the kind of prayer that stops the divine searchlight in its tracks.

I want to see the world affected by God and His Word. I want to see churches planted in cities that have been forgotten. There are still countries in desperate need of a Bible preacher. You might think, "I could never do that." And you're right! You couldn't. But He could do it through you. This is the heart of missions and ministry. It isn't about great people doing great things for God; it's about a great God doing great things through surrendered people.

Right now, there are people in your life who need to hear the gospel. There are neighbors who need to see the mercy of God lived out in shoe leather. There are ministries that need someone to step up, not because they are experts, but because they are available.

Will you be the one who says, "Lord, my heart is yours. It’s undivided. I’m not going to try to make a name for myself; I want to make a name for You"?

When we move from the courtroom of performance to the living room of sonship, everything changes. You aren't being graded. You aren't being measured by your consistency. You are being held by a Father who is looking for a chance to show His strength through your life.

If you are feeling stuck in a cycle of fear or trying to earn God's favor, I encourage you to read The Big Leap of Faith: Believing God Loves You Exactly as You Are. It’s a journey toward understanding that you are already loved and that love empowers you to serve.

God is still looking. He is looking for men and women who will trust Him more than they trust their bank accounts, reputations, or comfort zones. He is looking for people willing to take risks for the sake of the Gospel, knowing that even if they fail, His grace is there to catch them.

Could you be that person for your family?
Could you be that person for your church?
Could you be that person for a lost world?

Stop trying to be strong enough. Just be loyal enough to stay at His feet. When you do, you’ll find that He does things through you that you never dreamed possible. He will show Himself strong. Not for your glory, but for His. And in that, you will find the greatest joy imaginable.

Does God only use people who are spiritually "perfect"?
No, the "perfect" heart described in Scripture refers to a heart that is undivided and loyal, not one that is free from mistakes. God consistently uses broken people who recognize their need for Him rather than those who think they have it all figured out.

How can I tell if God is trying to use me for a specific purpose?
Usually, God works by putting desires and "nudges" into our hearts that align with His Word and bring Him glory. If you find yourself burdened for a specific group of people or a ministry need, pray and ask God to show His strength through your willingness to serve.

What should I do if I feel too weak to be used by God?
That feeling is actually the best starting point! God is looking to show His strength, not yours. Simply come to Him with an honest "I can't, but You can" attitude, and watch how His grace provides everything you need to accomplish His will.

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