God's Will is Where We Truly Thrive
Do you sometimes wish that God communicated His will to you today as dramatically and obviously as He did with Moses at the burning bush? Do you want guidance like the star that directed the wise men to visit Jesus?
What do we look for today as it relates to finding and obeying the will of God for our lives? Let me suggest some final principles to consider today:
The will of God is not simply a matter of revelation, but resignation.
George Müller had no idea how he would fund and operate his orphanage. But he sensed the will of God pressing him to establish one in Bristol, England, during the 1800s. On many occasions, the orphanage ran out of milk and food, or other necessities for the several hundred children they were providing for daily.
George would often remind his staff, “Be assured, if you walk with [God] and look to Him and expect help from Him, He will never fail you.”
And God never did.
God used the generosity of hundreds of people, who sent anonymous letters filled with money to the orphanage. He used sovereign circumstances to provide at just that last moment. Once, a loaded milk cart broke down in the street next to the orphanage. Recognizing that the milk would soon be spoiled, the milkman knocked on the orphanage door, offering all the milk for free.
George Müller built five orphanages throughout England, without ever asking for a penny. He raised the equivalent of $14 million in today’s currency and he did it on his knees in prayer.
Perhaps you’re waiting for some “sign” from God while He waits for you to take the first step of faith and obedience. Resign yourself to God and let Him direct your steps.
The will of God is not found in a place, but in a Person.
So many Christians profess to follow Jesus while attempting to keep the world on their leash.
I’ve often found that one of the clearest marks of a mature believer is their readiness to depart this earth and be united with Christ in Heaven. If you imagine yourself dying right now and going to Heaven, is your heart filled with unmistakable joy at that prospect, or are you thinking about things you will miss here on earth, things you don’t want to leave behind?
It could be a relationship, a career, a hobby, a lifestyle. Maybe you’ve lived a life of comfort and it's hard to imagine something better than what you have now.
The thought of being present with Jesus for eternity should give us a joy that overshadows any temporary, fleeting happiness this earth can offer us.
And living for Jesus on earth should give us a passion and a purpose unrivaled by any material or selfish interests we could choose to invest in.
The writer of Hebrews clarifies this commitment as he writes, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
If you want to run your race well, here’s your training regime: look to the example of the Lord.
When we submit to the will of God, we find ourselves clinging to Jesus, attaching ourselves to His desires and orienting our lives to His plans. And when we do that, we imitate that young singer who chose to sing for the Lord, rather than pursue a life of fame and fortune.
George Beverly Shea would eventually write his testimony in a song we have sung in church for many years. It spells out what it means to know and obey the will of God, pursuing His applause more than the applause of mankind.
His poetic testimony reads:
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I’d rather be His than have riches untold; I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands; I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand…. I’d rather have Jesus than man’s applause I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause; I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame, I’d rather be true to His holy name. Than to be the king of a vast domain And be held in sin’s dread sway. I’d rather have Jesus than anything, This world affords today.
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