Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Do you know God’s predetermined plan for your life? If so, are you doing your part to bring that plan to fruition?
There’s so much we can say about God’s will, but for the sake of keeping this post relatively short, I’ll (try to) give you the quick version. So, what is God’s will? Most of us are taught that there are two wills of God. First is His sovereign or general will for every Christian believer. To know this will, all we have to do is open our Bibles. God’s sovereign will asks us to be holy as He is holy (Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Peter 1:15-16), to be examples of Christ on earth (Matthew 5:16; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1-2), to pursue a relationship with God (John 17:3; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Hebrews 10:22; James 4:8), to live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-26; Ephesians 5:18-20), to make disciples of the nations (Matthew 9:36-38; 28:19-20). In other words, God’s general or sovereign will is to promote the coming of the kingdom of heaven.
God’s specific will is His purpose or assignment for each individual person. Usually this will is reveal to us through prayer, reading the word, or meditation. God’s specific will is equally as important as His general will, and I believe the two wills work together. In order to bring God’s general will to pass (which, let’s be clear here, it’s coming regardless), are you doing what you are supposed to do? Are you doing your individual assignment?
And that’s the problem with many of us today. We don’t want to do the will of God. We’re too selfish. We have our own goals and aspirations, and God will just have to wait. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but its the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” What ends up happening is that God goes out and finds someone else who is willing to do the work and, as a result, that person will receive the reward that should’ve been ours. How many blessings have you missed out on because you didn’t want to do what God said? Hebrews 10:36 says, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will received what he has promised.” Are you still waiting for a promise God made to you years ago? Ask yourself one question: What have you done to fulfill God’s will?
“Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.” Matthew 21:31-32; NIV
In the parable of the two sons, Jesus describes a father who asks his two sons to do a specific task. The first refuses but later changes his mind and does what he was asked. However, the second answers yes but does nothing. It’s unfortunate that a lot of us are like that second son, and God can’t use us. We don’t follow through on our word, we make empty promises, and then we wonder why we don’t have that satisfaction we crave, why our lives still feel so incomplete. As Jesus said, a lot of people we would call downright sinners are currently enjoying the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10) because, unlike us, they chose to listen to God’s word and do what He says.
Remember our teaching on love, how if we claim to love God, we should follow His commands (John 14:15). How much does it say about our “love” for God when we aren’t willing to do what He asks? Can we even say we love Him?
Remember also when we looked at our heart’s desires, how receiving what we desire from the Lord is as easy as taking delight in Him. We looked closely at what exactly that meant to “delight in the Lord,” and one version of the Bible says it plainly; “Do what the Lord wants.” Do what the Lord wants, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Do what the Lord wants, and your life will be fulfilled. Do what the Lord wants, and you will received what He has promised you. James 1:22 instructs us not to be just hearers of the word, deceiving ourselves, but doers also. It all starts with doing.
Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:7-8
Doing God’s will won’t always be easy. Sometimes He will ask you to do things that may cause people not to like you (John 15:18-19). He may ask you to do things you find too hard, but keep in mind, God will never give you something He knows you can’t do. Believe in yourself, don’t limit yourself, and if you have to give up certain things that don’t align with God’s purposes for you, do not hesitate to let them go. Doing God’s will, just like loving Him, often requires sacrifice.
Just look at Jesus as your prime example. Do you think He was happy to go to the cross? No! The Bible says He “began to be sorrowful and troubled,” saying, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death (Matthew 26:37-38). When He went to pray in Gethsemane the night He was arrested, He asked, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me” (Luke 22:41-42), and that’s what we tend to do. When things get tough, we chicken out, we give up. We ask God to find someone else, give us a different assignment. But look at Jesus’ resolve in the second part of that verse. Although the realities of His coming death were beginning to shake Him, He understood the end goal, that the world through Him would be saved (John 3:16-17). And so He said, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.”
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24
Do God’s will because you know the end result, because you want to see His kingdom come, because you want all to go to heaven and come to the knowledge of Christ. John 15:16 says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.” God chose you for a purpose, and if you don’t know what that purpose is, it is your job to find out, either through prayer, reading the word, or counseling with other mature Christians.
Most of us from an early age already know what God has called for us to do. For example, I’ve known since I was about three or four years old that I was meant to be a teacher. I’ve often run from it, mostly out of fear—I’m intimidated by children, I’m terrified of being wrong, I’m scared people won’t listen because of my age, how I look, the way I speak, my experience, or lack thereof, etc. But a few weeks ago, a soul sister told me this: You’ve been called by God to teach His word. Yes, I have, and I will do it for as long as I can, even on those days when it is hard, or when I’m running behind schedule, or when I’m feeling flustered. I will do it until I absolutely can do it no longer. And you should approach your calling, whatever it may be, in the same manner.
God Bless.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to do your will. Show us your plan and purpose for our lives and help us to bring it to fruition. You said in your word that if we commit to you whatever we do, you will establish our plans. We commit to doing your will, Lord. Establish our steps. Lead us down the correct path. Show us what we need to be doing in order that your kingdom come and your will be done. We ask, according to your will, knowing that you hear us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Sunday Morning Word 