God's Will

Is the garden of your soul full of weeds?  Maybe it's

time for an overhaul.

God’s Will

In the midst of writing about ‘contentment’ I realized that the topic of ‘God’s will’ is integrally related.  To put it simply:  Contentment is not achievable unless the will of God is a conscious, persevering mindset.  This bold and probably offensive statement is rooted in a biblical worldview, so if contentment is achievable from another stance I am willing to listen.

I heard a message in chapel when I was going to Seminary that listed five categories which just about almost guarantee that the search one is on is going to be in God’s will.  That’s a pretty big promise especially when many think of God’s Will in the areas of the future: i.e. education, career, spouse.  And that’s exactly what I’m NOT going to write about.  But what if those things, albeit under the will of God, came as a result of truly pursuing God’s Will as He intended?  

Enough already!  Get to the point!  Alright...these are the five areas:  1) Read God’s Word 2) Pray 3) Seek the advice of godly people 4) Consider your circumstances and 5) Do what you want to do.

READ GOD’S WORD

If God has revealed Himself in the Bible, it certainly makes sense that in order to understand what He wants then we must read the book that tells more about him than any other resource on earth.  I also believe that Bible reading must go beyond the cursory devotional reading that many of us have considered our “Quiet Time” over the years.  Study it, write observations, questions, mark up your Bible and seek to understand it in the era that it was written.  Ultimately, we get to know Him, which is a far greater than anything else we could gain.

PRAY

Granted, reading the Bible is a form of prayer....it’s God speaking.  Are we listening?  His Will... will be revealed in clear, uncompromising terms.  Also, pray with others in small groups, church and spontaneously.  And of course, pray in private.  When prayer fails(your own feelings and words) know that the Holy Spirit is praying in your stead (Romans 8:26).

SEEK THE ADVICE OF GODLY PEOPLE

Know any?  People who are doing the above two things.  People who have suffered and have come out seeing God’s hand in every detail.  People who listen more than talk.  People who, when you walk away after spending an hour with them,  refresh your soul and remind you of what it means to be the imago Dei.  They are few and far between, but they’re out there.  Find them.

CONSIDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES

Has it occurred to you that God’s sovereignty extends even to your life and daily decisions?  Is it possible that He is engineering your future, but somehow also giving you choices ?  In God’s economy, there is no fate.  He is never surprised and He is already working.  “Find out what He’s doing and join Him in it” (Henry Blackaby)  

*If your circumstances are the result of sin, stop praying or looking for ways to justify yourself and confess.  You will never know God’s will in the midst of habitual, unconfessed sin.  If your circumstances are the result of someone else’s sin, know that God is with you even there.  

DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

Really?!?! Yeah!  IF and I mean IF you have done the previous steps.  God’s will is not so narrow that it’s like walking a tight rope.  No, He is an imaginative, creative God who has given us imaginative and creative minds to make great choices.  Enjoy.   

1Thessalonians 5:14-18 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, FOR THIS IS GOD’S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS.  

I recommend the following resources: My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers, “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby (both can be downloaded as apps for daily reading. And finally Richard Foster’s “Treasury of Christian Discipline”.