In His Will

I have been in and out of God's will. When I am in it, life is great or not so great, but I feel close to Him and have peace. When I am out of God's will, I am at war with myself and the Holy Spirit.

Romans 7:14-25

New International Version (NIV)

 ¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. ¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
 ²¹ So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
   So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature^[b] a slave to the law of sin.


What usually happens with me is this: I pray for God's will on my life, I pray for clarity of God's will, I submit to God's will, I get rebellious/impatient/willful, I step out of God's will, I screw things up pretty bad, I repent, I pray for God to fix it all. Vicious cycle. I am not accepting that cycle anymore.

The other day on my drive to work, I prayed that God would just idiot proof my path because inevitably I will screw up whatever wonderful things He may have in store for me if He doesn't make it as idiot proof as possible. Sure enough, He did idiot proof my path within the hour of my prayer. I am going to pray that prayer daily and often throughout the day to battle my willfulness.

Paul is my favorite disciple for many reasons but the main one is that he was "chief of all sinners" and yet still used by God. Paul killed Christians prior to that special day on the road to Demascus. He not only killed Christians but went into their homes and drug them out. He hunted them down until that fateful day when the light shone upon him and he heard the voice of Jesus. "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?...I am Jesus whom you are persecuting...Now get up, go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." Acts 9 (Saul's conversion)

 That light and loud clear voice are exactly what I need at times to keep me from being willful, selfish, impatient...etc, etc, etc. There are times when that still small voice can speak to me and connect with my brain, soul, and heart. Then, there are other times... I just know, though, that the best place for me to be is right in the middle of God's will if I could just get past myself. Michelle's will be done is not in the Bible.

There is peace in God's will. I know that if He wants something to happen or not to happen, then it is His will. I don't have to control it. I don't have to worry about it. I don't have to do anything until He directs my actions and path. I can take a deep breath and relax in the palm of His hands, and they are the safest, strongest hands that I have ever experienced. His hands guide me into a room now. His hands hold mine when I feel alone. His hands straighten out my shoulders and shove me forward when I need it. His hands have my back, and I don't think I would ever want His hands swinging at me.

Romans 8:31-36 states, "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long;  we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
 
If God is for me, who can be against me?  He has my back and has me covered. He sent His son to die on the cross for me. I am forgiven. I am blessed. I can and will be used for His kingdom.  I am grateful for His agents who are in my life supporting, encouraging, guiding, and disciplining me. We are on the front lines, but we are not exactly in fear of losing our lives here in America.

We are pretty safe in our heated homes. We face day to day trials, heart break, disappointments, illnesses, and temptations. Some of you reading this face much worse battles than my personal illustrations. Our battles do seem huge and overwhelming at times. There is peace to be found in God's will, though. Search out God's will for your life. Pray, Read your Bible, and listen for that quiet voice...or pray that God will idiot proof your path. He answers prayers.

Stand firm. Keep the Faith!