For more than ten years, I’ve talked with Alan* on a regular basis. Disabled since childhood, he’s spent most of his 40 years confined to a bed. Yet from the very beginning, his spirit struck me as unusually sweet—resilient, hopeful, and remarkably free of self-pity. He never complained. He never indulged in a “poor me” mindset. His faith seemed to rise above the painful limitations of his body.
But this call felt different. There was a heaviness in his voice I hadn’t heard before. I sensed something deep stirring beneath the surface, though it took him quite a while to say it.
“I come from a family of encouragers,” he finally began. “Of course, the encouragement I get from the 3ABN prayer line has been powerful, too. You always point me to Christ. I think that’s what’s gotten me through some pretty rough times with a hopeful heart. I want to serve in the Lord’s kingdom. I want a ministry… but how can I do that in my condition?”
The longing in his voice was unmistakable. So was the ache.
“Alan,” I said gently, “Why don’t you talk with your local pastor? Tell him you want to be active in ministry. Explain how much it has meant to you to call 3ABN all these years—having someone pray with you, listen to you, and share God’s promises. Put your name in the hat to help with prayer ministry. You know firsthand how powerful a listening ear can be.”
There was a long pause. He shifted around, uncomfortable, and after nearly a full minute, he answered flatly, “I couldn’t do that. Why would people want to talk to someone who’s bedridden for encouragement?”
His words were filled with discouragement—and a painful misunderstanding of his own worth.
“Alan, you are a faith-filled man,” I told him. “You face challenges most people can’t imagine, yet you hold on to courage and hope. That alone makes you a powerful source of encouragement. Have you ever heard of Joni Eareckson Tada?”
He hadn’t.
So I shared her story—how she became a quadriplegic at seventeen after a diving accident … how she’d wrestled with despair, yet surrendered her life to Christ … and how God has used her in extraordinary ways. Joni paints with her mouth, sings, writes, records radio programs, and leads a global ministry to support people with disabilities. Her life is a testimony to the promise of 2 Corinthians 12:9, where Jesus says, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
“That’s admirable,” Alan admitted, “but I don’t have access to anything like that. She does a whole lot more than just pray with people.”
I smiled to myself. “Alan, my wife Shelley would tell you that you don’t even have to pray with people, but pray for people. She always says that intercessory prayer is the highest calling of ministry. Do you know why? Because it is the ministry of our risen and exalted Savior—right now. Hebrews 7:25 says, ‘He always lives to make intercession for us.’ If the Son of God Himself is interceding, then praying on behalf of others isn’t a small ministry. It’s a holy one. Every prayer whispered for someone else carries eternal value. Every Scripture shared in faith shines a light in someone’s darkness. Every listening ear becomes a reflection of Jesus, who always makes time for the wounded.”
He was quiet. I could almost hear the wheels turning in his mind.
“I would like to pray for people, and even with people, because that would help my loneliness, but I’m not sure I could pray like you pray, J. D.,” he said softly. “And I still don’t know how or why anyone would call me for encouragement.”
“Alan,” I said, “that’s God’s part—not yours. What He’s looking for is your willingness. If you are willing, He will direct people to you. You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to listen. People desperately need to be heard. Grief needs an audience. Pain needs a witness. And you know Scripture—you’ve quoted verses to me for years. When I talk to people, I keep two books of Bible promises near me. While they are sharing, I quietly ask the Holy Spirit what Scriptures I should offer to give them hope in the midst of their hardship. Then I ask Him to guide the prayer. It isn’t about what we can do. It’s about yielding to what He wants to do through us.”
I could tell I had touched something tender in him. His heart wanted to believe God could use him, but his mind was stuck on feelings of inadequacy. He mumbled a few more excuses, clearly wrestling within himself.
“Alan,” I said gently, “I think you’re wrestling with God, not me. And that’s okay. God understands the tension between desire and doubt. All He asks is that you bring it to Him. Listen to this promise: Psalm 27:14 says, ‘Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!’”
The line grew quiet. When he finally spoke, his voice carried a soft seriousness.
“Yes, I think I need to spend time considering this. I need to wait on God’s direction. You’ve given me a lot to think about, J. D. I’ve pretty much lived a life of hope even in my hardship, and the idea that maybe—just maybe—I could become an encourager to someone else … that’s exciting.”
Hope in Weakness, Ministry in Limitations
After we hung up, I kept thinking about Alan’s words. His struggle is not unique. Many believers long to serve but feel disqualified by illness, disability, age, grief, or limitations they can’t change. They assume ministry belongs to people with strength, mobility, or confidence. But Scripture tells a different story.
God delights in using what the world might overlook. The weak become vessels of His power. The broken become testimonies of His healing. The limited become channels of His grace.
Moses spent 40 years on the back-side of the desert as a shepherd. David was just a young shepherd when God chose him to be king, and he spent years hiding in caves. Gideon was from the weakest tribe, and claimed to be the least in his family. Matthew was a hated tax collector. Timothy was timid. Paul suffered with poor eyesight. Joni paints with her mouth. Yet God called every single one of them. Not because of strength–but because of willingness.
Your Limitations Cannot Limit God
If you feel like Alan—longing to serve but unsure how you fit—remember this: God never asks for ability. Only availability.
If you’re willing, He will open doors you never imagined. He will strengthen your heart. He will equip you for whatever He calls you to do.
You may very well become someone else’s source of hope in the midst of hardship.
* Pseudonym
