I know I've struggled with these questions from time to time. I really do want to know where God wants me to be and what he wants me to be doing. Can't He just mapquest my life for me so I can follow the blue line and get to where I'm supposed to be!
We (this includes "I") tend to misuse the idea of God's will. Often I hear it as an attempt to spiritualize a decision that just happens to coincide with what you wanted to do anyway. And it can be used to validate choices that range from what clothes to wear to career paths to marriage. And it was clearly God's will that allowed two-time Super Bowl MVP, Eli Manning, to take down the evil Patriots once again. Right? Does God micro-manage our lives like this?
We know we have free will. We can choose. God can't make us put our trust in Jesus. We can choose to follow Him or not. Even after we believe, we can choose to obey Him or not. But the question remains, if we want to obey, how do we discover His will for our lives?
Feel free to disagree with me, but I've come to the point where I don't think it's that difficult of a question to answer.
Love the Lord Your God
The teachers of the Law came to Jesus and asked him what was the greatest of all the commandments. Jesus replied:
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:29-31)
What is God's will? To love Him with everything you have and, after that, love your neighbor.
Instead of figuring out how God fits in YOUR plan for YOUR life, which is what many really mean when they say they want to discover God's will, you should be learning what God expects from you according to HIS plan for the Christian life. It really is simple in theory and difficult in application because of our still-present sinful nature.
Love Him with all your:
HEART - Love Him emotionally for who He is in all His majesty, beauty, holiness, perfection. Love him as your father in Heaven.
SOUL - Love Him with your innermost being. Praise Him for saving your soul even though you did nothing to deserve it.
MIND - Love Him by knowing Him. Read His Word - don't seek some mindless mystical revelation! Discover who He really is and what He has done. You can't love someone that you don't know.
STRENGTH - Love Him with your effort and good works. Follow His commands. Never tire in performing the tasks He sets before you.
But What am I Supposed to DO?
Am I supposed to take this job or that job? Am I supposed to marry this person? Should I go into full time mission work?
I have the answer! Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. God knows you need things - a job, a mate, a path for your life. Then use the gifts He has given you to bless those around you.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
Are we really loving Him with everything we have? I know I fall short. If we truly put Him first, not just say we do, then amazingly He will put it all in place for us.
Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)
Remember though, you can't trick Him. You can't pretend to put Him first and delight yourself in Him and then get all the good stuff you wanted. That's the Prosperity (false) Gospel. When you love Him with everything and truly put Him first, His desires will become your desires. We conform to Him. Becoming like Jesus.....sound familiar?
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
To those who love God. HIS purpose. If we love Him first and make decisions that don't contradict biblical principles and commandments, we can hardly go wrong. When we let our own desires trump God's, we stumble. We weren't promised a life of luxury or one free of hardship, trouble or attacks from the enemy, but if we follow His lead, He will be faithful to finish the work He started in our lives.
Please, all three of you who may read this, discuss in the comment section below.
Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!
