Hey everyone, my friend sent me this morning’s devotional she gets in her email from Saddleback Church (you know, the one with Rick Warren) and I thought it was pretty cool and applies to us all going on this crazy World Race… so I though I’d share it with you all….
A Battle of Wills
by Jon Walker
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13 NAS)
Do you respond to God’s direction, even when you don’t understand what’s going on?
Part of the strength God gives you to “do all things through him” is
the ability to choose to do his will, even before you know the full
implications of what that means. He will begin to change your “wanter,”
developing within you more and more of a ‘want’ to do his will.
But this is where we often stall in our steps toward being more like
Jesus. We get into a battle of wills with God, wanting him to reveal
his plan first, and
only then – when we have a full understanding of his plan – will we decide to respond, or not.
But that has us walking by sight, and
not by faith, the exact opposite of how God teaches us to walk: “We live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
Am I willing to decide –
in advance – that I will do what God
asks me to do, no matter what it is? Am I abandoned to him and his
will, believing he will strengthen me to do all the things he asks? Or
do I behave as if I believe I am the final judge of what is best for my
life: “God, show me the whole plan, wait for me to understand, and then
I’ll decide whether or not to do what you ask.”
The Good News is that, even if you’re not ready for immediate
obedience, God will give you strength to be honest with him. He already
knows about your hesitancy, so he won’t be surprised by prayerful
confession, such as: “Father, I’m not sure I’m ready to do your will. I
don’t know if I want to do it or not.”
Yet God is gracious and patient. Tell him, “I don’t know that I’m
willing to step out in faith without first knowing everything that’s
going to happen, but I’m willing to be made willing.”
So what?
·
Build your confidence in God – Each time you take a step of
faith, your confidence in God will increase, as you see that he is
waiting for you on the other side of your decision.
·
Polaroid vision – Each time you take a step of faith, God
will reveal more of his plan to you. It’s what Rick Warren calls
“Polaroid vision:” You can see God’s picture developing, but not all of
it is visible right away.
·
Grow into God’s vision – You may be frustrated that God
hasn’t shown you the whole picture of his vision for you, but he may be
holding it back because he knows you will be overwhelmed by what you
see. He’s calling you to a God-sized mission, one that will appear
impossible for you to complete. But that’s the point – there’s no way
you can fulfill your mission without God and his strength working
within you.
·
Relax in God’s will – If you think discovering and
following God’s will depends entirely on you, then you’ll probably
start getting nervous, wondering, “Am I taking the right step here?
Have I missed something?”
God doesn’t need you to figure it all out;
he’ll provide the answers as you need them.
© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.
