Yea, I’ve got some good news. Especially if you’ve been singing the blues because you don’t know what God‘s will is for your life.
First off, let me say I’d never recommend not praying. Of course you should pray. You must pray! But your prayers should be more about Thanksgiving and something the Bible calls supplication. Prayers shouldn’t be always about asking for things.
Unless you’re asking for wisdom and discernment. There’s a lot of good reasons to believe God likes that kind of prayer.
Anyway…
From time to time I hear Christians (on the radio and in person) who say you need to seek the will of God for your life. Some say things like “It isn’t always easy, but it’s so important.” Or they say, “Pray and ask God to show you His will for your life.” On the surface, sound like good advice. But dig a little deeper and you discover something very important.
And it’s even OK to ask Him for the intangible things like more love in your life, or more fruit of the Spirit, or even a calm heart. However, you don’t need to ask Him for His will for your life. He’s already told you.
God wants to set you apart from this world. His word says…
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification…”
Two words. Your sanctification. Simple. To the point. No long-winded, expansive, voluminous explanation. And only one mildly difficult word: sanctification. What does that mean? Like I said…to set you apart. Apart from what? All the dirty darkness so much of the world seems to prefer. God doesn’t want you to be weighed down, dragged down, or pulled down into that darkness. He wants you to stand up, reach up, and look up…to Him. Doing so sets you apart. It sanctifies you. The dictionary defines sanctify like this: set apart as or declare holy.
When you ask Jesus into your heart, God declares you holy. Wow! How cool is that?! And that, in a nutshell, is the will of God for your life…to declare you holy. And when you’re holy, you will live forever in a place so glorious your imagination can’t conjure it up.
All the day-to-day tasks, your job or career, whether you should buy the green shirt or red one, or where you’ll go for dinner…these are all decisions you’re free to make for yourself. God doesn’t need or want to micromanage your life. That isn’t His will. He certainly wants you to lean on His understanding, not your own, and that’s because His wisdom is infinitely deeper and higher than yours. But He doesn’t make your daily decisions for you. You’re fearfully and wonderfully made. God designed you with your own will, your own brain, and your own abilities. He delights in seeing what ways you’ll use them to declare Him to the world.
So…what ways are you declaring the good news of Jesus to the world? Use the skills or talents you have and tell somebody about Him today…or this week…or this month. And don’t be afraid. Remember, the will of God for your life is sanctification. Since He sets you apart and declares you holy, I guarantee you can do it. And when you send His Word out, it won’t return void. I’m pulling for you!
I’m pulling for you, and so’s the Lord.
He’ll keep your soul securely moored
Until it’s time to set your sails
Filled with his word that never fails.
Stay tuned,
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