God's Will ... His Way!

One of the most frequently asked questions within the Christian faith is, “How do I know that I am in God’s Will?” It is asked in the church, prayer meetings, in our private prayer times and in the secret recesses of every Believer’s heart. “Lord, what is your will for my life? How do I find out? What do You want me to do?” The answer is really quite simple yet extremely complex because in order to be in His Will you must be obedient. Truly that is the only answer … BE OBEDIENT.

Now for many that is probably one of the hardest things for us to do … we are spoiled, selfish, and self-righteous. We were raised in a generation of narcissism in which everything is all about me. Am I happy? Are my needs being met? Did God answer my prayer? Did I get what I wanted? Was the worship at church what I needed to enter in? Am I being fed? Am I getting what I need? And so on …

God parted the sea and walked the Israelites safely through to take them into the desert to get them to the Promised Land. He took Joseph from the pit to the palace from the palace to the prison from the prison to the right hand of Pharaoh. Jesus came from Heaven to earth from the earth to the cross from the cross to the grave and then from the grave to the sky … we all know that song. Are you getting the picture? You may have to go through something to get to where you are going in Him.

Here is the truth … God called us to be obedient and sometimes that means He takes us places we don’t want to go in order to get us where we need to be. What does that look like? Perhaps He takes you to a church where the worship is lousy and the Pastor is soft-spoken … and He says, “I want you to stay here and worship.” Now, you are used to a praise team that has been nationally recorded with hit praise songs on the radio and a Pastor that brings the word with power who is highly connected and well known. You couldn’t have heard God right … you can’t fathom staying here. What would be the purpose? So you leave and never return disregarding God’s softly spoken command to stay and worship.

While this is going on, your little girl is in the children’s ministry of this small congregation with the soft spoken Pastor and the lousy praise team. She is laughing and smiling because God is speaking to her, telling her that this is going to be her new church home and she will grow in Him. The worship is sweet and she completely enters in receiving His love and glorifying Him. She learns much that day about the fruits of the spirit, the gifts of the spirit and God’s plan for her. She is thrilled at the prospect of attending this small church because at the big one she was lost among the other more boisterous children.

As you are leaving, you tell her that you are going back to the other church because this one just didn’t meet your needs. You don’t notice her face shatter nor the disappointment in her eyes … you don’t take the time to seek God for the answer. You just don’t want to be there because it isn’t what you think you need to grow. Ask yourself this question, “Are you in His Will or in His Way?”

You see, He never said that you would be where you wanted to be … He said that He would provide for all of your needs which includes spiritually as well as in the natural. Now, because you have based your decision on fleshly desires instead of obedience … your child is not where He intended for her to be and neither are you. You will not receive the gifts that He had planned for you because you are out of place. Your child’s faith is damaged because she heard God speak just like you did but she is reliant upon your obedience to His voice and you have chosen to go your own way. You are not in His Will … you are in His way. You have hindered your child’s relationship with the Father out of your own selfish desires.

There is a scripture that says, “There is a way that seems right to a man but leads to destruction.” There are times when we think in our natural minds that we are going the right way and the enemy is leading us down a path of destruction.

What if you did obey? What if you stayed and you found that God had called you for a purpose? He wanted to teach you to worship Him without the perfect praise team. He wanted to show you the heart of a shepherd through the soft spoken Pastor. You are seeing your little girl grow spiritually in her gifts and talents. You are growing in the things of the Lord and learning to search His heart and Word. Your life is changed and you will never be the same. You are in His Will and He is showing you His Way.

At times, His Will doesn’t look like what we think it should … but we must Trust and Obey. He will guide us in the way that we should go … He will lead us beside the still waters and He will renew our soul. He fills our souls with songs of deliverance.

BE OBEDIENT and you will walk in His Will. Allow Him to take you where you don’t want to go in order to be where you need to be. LET GO!!!