The way in which too many people go about
trying to figure out God’s will for their lives would be humorous to discuss –
if it weren’t so sad. Books and magazine
articles and sermons all offer tips on how to decipher an endless list of coded
signs and the meaning(s) of chance encounters all in an attempt to discover
where God wants them to live, what job to apply for, who to choose as a mate,
and on and on ad-infinitum. What’s sad
is all the good useful time that’s wasted on efforts that (1) humans cannot
figure out, and (2) are mostly selfish and not at all within the realm of God’s
interests.
We like to think we’re important
enough that God cares about what clothes we wear each day, or what route we
take to the store, or our school team beating their cross-town rivals, or the
company we work for getting the much needed contract. But do any of these things really matter when
it comes to your relationship with God?
Do you have to live in a specific neighborhood in order to be a good
Christian? Can you only fulfill the
Great Commission in a certain school or job?
With something as important as your life, God will not resort to coded
messages and wait for you to think them through and discover what you need to
do in order to make Him happy.
God has always been above board on
what He wants from you. And it’s the
same thing He wants for every one of His creatures. He has openly stated many times that what He wants
is for you to know Him; to love Him in the same way He loves you; and to be
with Him forever. That’s it. And you can do this in any home, in any
neighborhood; at any school; with any job; in any human relationship as long as
He is your first priority and you’re committed to living in holiness and
drawing near to Him day by day.
I’m sorry if this sounds too dull
and unexciting. I know life would be
more interesting if we could take part in a quest of some kind that is worthy
of a book or movie rights. But God
doesn’t play mind games; He doesn’t encode important facts and figures in order
to see how faithful we are at putting important pieces together and then give
us “you’re getting warm or cold” hints until we find our “treasure.” No, our relationship with Him is too
important so He comes right out and spells it in simple terms. And – get this right – He doesn’t change His
reasoning or His thinking or His feeling on moral issues in order to fit our
chosen views.
If you really are seeking God’s will
for your life, your prayer will be the same one Moses offered to Him: “Teach
me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you”
(Exodus 33:13). Yes! This is God’s will not just for Moses and the
other heroes of the faith, but for you too.
We know this because God said so through His prophet Micah: “He has
showed you, O man, what is good. And
what does the LORD require of you (what is His will for your life)? To
act justly (do what is right/holy) and to love mercy (be kind and
forgiving) and to walk humbly with your God (a loving, growing
relationship)” (6:8). No need for you to
decode this or prayerfully figure out any clues; it’s straight forward and
matter-of-fact.
Now comes the hard part; does your
life reflect someone who really wants to know God and to find favor with
Him? This will require you to look at
your relationships: are they Christ-like and do they help you draw closer to
God? Look at your attitude at work: are
you honest, helpful, and friendly? Is
your speech and behavior wholesome and decent in keeping with a disciple of
Jesus? Are you committed to following
His statutes and decrees without redefining them and forcing them to fit
modern, human criteria?
If you really want to do God’s will
then make sure that every aspect of your life reflects the relationship you’re
building with Him. You will then know His will for your life. And
following Him without reservations will get easier and more understandable as
you journey along.
Doug
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