Understanding and following God's will is not just some devotional sentiment. It requires surrender to God and His plans. It requires courageous faith to obey. Sometimes His will leads us down paths beside still waters and into green pastures. At other times His will leads us through the desolate dry desert.
This is an issue I presented before our adults and students last night. Many people live their entire lives and never give this question any consideration. They never ask God about a vocation or whom to marry. Sadly others know God's will but turn in rebellion like Jonah. To know God's will and to disobey it is sin. It is offensive to God.
What has God planned and what does He desire where you are and where I am? What does God will for my ministry and yours? What does God will for my oldest son who is a senior this year and for your children as well? What does God will for this day?
This day is a gift. It has never been lived before. There are opportunities to seek and serve the Lord today. We must take full advantage of them. We must live this day and everyday surrendered to God and His agenda. His agenda is very often much different than ours. His agenda for the day may include a lengthy conversation with a lonely soul when your agenda may be to get out of the conversation as quickly as possible. His agenda may require you to give sacrificially when your agenda is to keep your money for your own desires. His agenda may be to get up early to seek Him in prayer while your agenda is to wrap the covers snugly around you choosing to sleep in. His agenda could be urging you to go get a passport to be available to follow His call on a mission trip. Your agenda may be to put off getting a passport so you can use that as an excuse not to go.
God's will very often looks different than mine. His will includes giving my life away. His will includes being constantly available to Him to uproot and follow. His will includes stepping out on narrow mountain paths of faith that appear dangerous while my will includes being comfortable. His will means letting go of my children while my will includes holding them tighter. His will is for me to hold my possessions very loosely, being readily available to give them up at His slightest prompting. My will is to cherish, polish, and hoard those possessions.
His will leads down the path of holiness while my will often wanders down the path of sin and pleasure. His will is at times uncomfortable while my will always seeks my comfort and security first. His will does not always lead down the road of popularity. His will does not always make sense to the casual observer or the devoted follower alike. His will is often difficult to follow. His will at times includes suffering while my will seeks to avoid suffering at all costs.Like I said at the beginning, God's will is more than a sentimental devotional thought.
God does not reveal His will for sentiment. He reveals His will to be obeyed. Today you have the opportunity to seek and discover God's will. When He reveals what He purposes and desires you face a choice. You can either submit and obey or reject and rebel. To do the latter is sin.
[James 4:13-17] Come now you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit." You don't even know what tomorrow will bring - what your life will be! For you are like a vapor that appears for a little while then vanishes. Instead, you should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So, for the person who knows to do good and doesn't do it, it is sin.
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