Sunday, June 3, 2012

Staying In God's Will

Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared.  ~Psalm 119:38

Sometimes God's will for our lives is not exactly what we would have chosen on our own.
When we look to God for guidance and direction in our lives, we should not be surprised when He provides it. Sometimes, however, we are confused or unsure what God's will is for our lives and often times the confusion is not in the knowing of His will, but in the accepting. The psalm writer has asked that God would confirm and accomplish that which is promised in His Word, in the life of His servant. God already has revealed to us what His will is for our lives, it is in His Holy Word and it has already been accomplished in Heaven. Our constant prayer ought to be "let Thy will be done..."

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  ~Matthew 6:9,10

The perfect prayer is not one which is long and goes on and on for hours, or one that is eloquent and well spoken, and the perfect prayer is not one which even comes word for word out of the Bible. The perfect prayer is one uttered in the will of God. Yes, God has a plan for our lives. He has direction and purpose for our very being established long before we were even born. Time spent in prayer isn't for us to have a way to plead with God and possibly change His mind, but to align our will with His perfect plan. There is no confusion when, in faith, we submit to God's Word. Instantly we will know whether the thing is of God or not, Jesus said so.

“If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.”  ~John 7:17

If we would only trust God's Word and submit our lives to it, all doubt would flee as to whether it is the truth or not. Jesus tried to explain to the people as He taught them in the temple if someone were to do the will of God, which has already been revealed in the Scriptures, then they would know it was of God. It is when we choose a path for ourselves other than that which God has ordained when trouble and uncertainty creeps in. Doing God's will does not prevent trouble from coming, but doing God's will puts us in a place where we are equipped to handle the trouble. It is like following someone in a rainstorm who is carrying an umbrella. If we walk where they are going we remain dry, but if we step out in our own direction...

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.  ~Proverbs 3:11,12

Yes, sometimes we come under the disciplinary hand of God. When He chastens us we must remember He has our eternal state in mind and will go to extreme lengths to return us to the path He wants us on. Some say God is mean and cruel for the discipline He may use. But which is the most cruel, to chasten one's children for playing in the street or to let them play there until a car hits them? He loves us so much He will cause Himself pain by chastening us. You don't think God feels pain? I invite your attention to the eleventh chapter of John...

Jesus wept.  ~John 11:35

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