Weekly Inspiration from Women of Faith

[Sistah42]

Where There's A Will . . . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10 (NKJV)

As we ponder the big questions in life, our minds wander down well-worn paths. "Who am I?" "What should I do?" "Where should I go?" "Why am I here?" We long to do something of value, to be recognized, to distinguish ourselves, and to leave a legacy.

As Christians, we also wish to discover God's will for our lives. Surely He is already laying the groundwork for our lofty aspirations in life. Then, when things don't quite meet our expectations, we are perturbed. And if they take a dire turn into disaster, we are perplexed. What went wrong? We missed the point.

The thing is, God's will is just that – God's will. He tends to do thing His way, in His time, according to His own plan, and with His own purposes in mind. God often ignores our agenda! Over and over the Scriptures bring up an important theme: "My ways are not like your ways!" Sometimes we need a gentle reminder that He's not like us.

Have you ever tried to reason with a two-year-old? A mother can begin calmly enough, but when faced with the one-track-minded, stubborn resolve of a selfish little person, she is reduced to begging, bribing, threatening, shouting, compromise, and even surrender. How are we like a self-absorbed toddler compared to God?


Adapted with permission from Discovering God's Will for Your Life, © 2003 Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

Consider Isaiah 55:8. "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord." How does our limited perspective affect our day-to-day living?



Sometimes we find ourselves in a clash of wills. God's way just isn't what we had in mind. In the midst of troubling circumstances, God does not despise us for our honest questions. He welcomes us to pour our our troubled hearts before His throne. In fact, when our pain is so deep, His Spirit even provides groaning on our behalf.

More than one of God's chosen prophets has stood before Him and cried out "Why?" However, at the end of each rant, God gently reminds the mere human of the way things are. Some of us might need to be nudged back into our place once in a while as well.

"So you see, God shows mercy to some just because He wants to, and He chooses to make some people refuse to listen. Well then, you might say, 'Why does God blame people for not listening? Haven't they simply done what He made them to do?' No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to criticize God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who made it, 'Why have you made me like this?' When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? God has every right to exercise His judgment and His power, but He also has the right to be very patient with those who are the objects of His judgment and are fit only for destruction. He also has the right to pour out the riches of His glory upon those He prepared to the objects of His mercy." Romans 9:18-23, NLT

Read Romans 9: 18-23 above. Do you ever feel like the pot that says, "Why have you made me like this?" Would you love to ask God, "Why?" about some aspect of your life?




Something within us fights against being told what to do. We are constantly urged to fight for our rights, to value individuality, to find our own path, to sport our own unique style. According to Romans 9, what are God's rights? What are ours?




Make no mistake, thought He has His own motives, God is at work in our lives. Philippians 2:13 reminds us that "it is God who works in you." But the verse goes on to say why He is working: "bot to will and to do for His good pleasure." What does Paul mean "to will and to do"?




Look up Romans 12:2. How does Paul define God's will here?



So, we are insignificant. Compared to God we are nothing. We are blades of grass. We are specks. We are nothing but dust (Ps. 103:14). Perhaps we have overestimated our own value? How very . . . encouraging?

But wait! God does not always humble us. Often the Scriptures remind us that we are precious in His sight. Though we are very small, we have been created to glorify God in our lives.

Remember the song "Jesus Loves the Little Children"? That last line states "red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight." God has a plan and a place for each of His precious daughters. Read John 6:39. What does Jesus say is His Father's will?


Digging Deeper
Look up Psalm 95:10 and Hebrews 3:10. The writer of Hebrews is quoting from the Psalms passage, and speaks of people who do not know God's ways. Contrast that with the beautiful description in Isaiah 58:2, with a people who delight to know God's ways.

Ponder & Pray
This week, pray that God will open your eyes to see the people and things around you the way that He sees them! Allow Him to help you distinguish between the things that are fleeting in this life (like television sitcoms, manicured nails, and immaculate homes) and the things that will last into eternity (like God, His Word, and people). Ask Him to shape your life so that He can use you for His glory.