“LIVING IN GOD’S WILL”, this term is, I believe, is often a little misunderstood. There are two sides to “God’s will”. The first is God’s plan in this world, bigger than we can fathom and greater than the universe and all its vastness…and something that cannot be changed or affected by us.
BUT, very often when we speak of “God’s will”, we are talking about the OTHER side of this term, “God’s desired wish involving the cooperation of individual people”…….US. We could call this God’s “moral” will. This is the part of God’s will that He has given us a choice to choose. Of course we call this, “free-will”
I want to embark on a journey this week of looking closer at “Living in God’s Will” and what it means when we ask, “Is this God’s will in my life?, what do I do?”
>>>>>The first side of God’s will:
Ephesians 1:11 (TNIV)
“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,”
>>>>>The side of God’s will that we often ask about in our lives:
Ephesians 5:15-20 (TNIV)
15 Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Have you ever been on I-4 here in Orlando or some busy highway and pondered just exactly where all these people are going? Think about it–each of them has a purpose. Each person is going somewhere. Some will get there easily. Some will get lost. Some will get lost and will find their way back on the right road. Some will lose control and lose their life.
Life is like this. We are all on a path and we all want to get safely to our destination. Somewhere deep inside us we all have a dream. God has a plan for us. The question is, are we choosing the path that God has laid out for us? Or are we trying to navigate our own path?
We often ask the question, “am I finding God’s will in my life”? There seems to be an underlying feeling of belief that God has a blueprint or plan for each of us, which can be discovered in order for God’s will to be fulfilled.
As a parent, my biggest concern for both of my children is that they find fulfillment in life. Some parents PUSH their kids to be doctors, lawyers, to do things that make big bucks. They do this with the right intentions, they do it because they perceive that money equates to happiness and fulfillment. We always told our girls that we were less concerned about WHAT they wanted to do in life and more concerned about their fulfillment in what they do, as long as it is not immoral, illegal or just plain wrong.
Now my girls are happily married and starting their families. Both are well adjusted and are finding that fulfillment in life.
I believe that God is like this, as OUR Father, in His wisdom, He is the same way with us. In my illustration of people on the highway above, I would note that there is more than one path to a destination. I asked the questions, “are we choosing the path that God has laid out for us? Or are we trying to navigate our own path”?
Here is the secret, maybe this will take away some of the mystery–I believe that God’s plan is for us to love Him and to love each other. In these two things we find fulfillment in life. Seeking God’s will means seeking Him and applying His wisdom to our lives, His wisdom of helping others, His wisdom of resisting the temptations to things that ultimately drag us down and control us, His wisdom of thinking less about our needs and thinking more of other’s needs….ultimately, in this, our needs are fulfilled.
What is your path? What is the path God wants you to follow? It’s that path that is not immoral, it’s the path that is not illegal and it’s the path that is leading to His love and the love of others. There are many ways to get there. When we seek His will from this place on the road…..I believe that He WILL lead us and that path WILL lead to HIM.
My youngest daughter, in contemplating where she and her family were to move, asked me, “Daddy, what is God’s will for me?”. My answer was, His will is that you and your husband make this decision together, based on what you both believe is best for you and your family. It could be Georgia, North Carolina, Texas or Florida (as her dad, of course I want them to choose Florida). God’s will is that you do what is RIGHT, make this decision together as husband and wife. Whatever you choose, I will support. Then you do it and give it everything you got.”
I believe there may be mystery in God’s will……but it’s much simpler than we think. Take one day a time and always do what is right, seeking Him and seeking the love of each other. Wednesday we will dig a little deeper!