Know The Will of God

To know and to do the will of God is something that we all think about. Once we start our walk in Christ, learning about God, reading the scriptures, wanting to live in a new way, a way that will be pleasing to our Father that has given us a newness of life and a change of heart, we start facing choices. Choices of what we should say instead of what we used to say, where we should go rather than where we used to go, what we should do differently, what we should watch or listen to that won't cause our thoughts and feelings to draw distant from the closeness to God that we enjoy.

We don't need to do anything especially spiritual, like fast for 40 days or hide in a prayer closet for six hours. Just check that you have two things available, and you will find yourself walking in God's will without giving it a second thought or breaking a sweat. First, examine the desire of your heart. Make sure that you have put Jesus first in your life, your choices, your goals. It doesn't mean that you have to hate what you used to love -- it only means that your love for Jesus is greater than your love for everything and everyone else.

Love for family, love of friends, love of activities are all God-given and very appropriate, and since they came from God, they are good. But it is simple to understand that since your love for these things are from God, they cannot be greater than God. Whatever demands greater love than your love for God is not from God. Check your priorities, examine your motives, be honest with yourself and with God (He already knows, so you won't surprise Him), and ask Him to help you put things in the right perspective. He will give you the viewpoint and the willpower to do what you need to. Once your priorities are in order and the Giver of love is your first love, then you will find the second step follows easily and naturally.

When your love for God is foremost, then you will find that reading the Bible is something that you want to do, for in each book, each chapter, every verse you see the One you love. The Word of God is His love-letter to you. He shows you His heart through His word. You find you want to keep reading and see what He has to tell you. There will always be questions, and hard-to-understand things that come up, but by trusting the One you love, you can place those things in His hands and wait for the answers when you are ready.

When I was in sixth grade, we shared a classroom with the eighth-grade class. We were supposed to be studying our lessons while the teacher taught the eighth-graders their lessons. I could never focus on my own studies because I was so fascinated in hearing what they were learning. It sounded -so- interesting, but I couldn't always follow it, especially the math which I wanted the most. It turns out that what was covered in the seventh grade was essential to understanding what the eighth graders got, and I didn't have that yet. So I ended up not getting my work done, and feeling frustrated because I couldn't understand their lesson, either.

As you keep your heart pointed to God, desiring to know more about Him, to hear from Him, and you read the scriptures where He has given us what we need for salvation and His on-going plan of redemption, you suddenly realize that things which had been a bother before are not even noticed now. Behavior that you had struggled with previously is no longer a problem. Your thoughts are turning to God more through the day and you find they turn to your worries less as you realize just how much you can trust Him with, and how much He has to give you.

The final thing is to thank Him. You can tell Him, "Thank You," with every breath, and it would not be too much, because every breath we take is from Him. We have no promise of the next breath or the next heart-beat, and at some point they *will* stop. But now you know that to be absent from this life is to be with God, so there is no fear of death, either. Practice taking those moments that are free, and give them to Him. Express your love for God, your appreciation for what He has given you, in whatever way feels appropriate at the time. It may be different every time, or always the same. It's okay, because He is worthy of all the praise and adoration we can give Him.

You will be doing the will of God, and if something comes up that He wants you to do special, you will already be thinking about Him, talking to Him, so you will be able to hear Him if He drops a thought of someone into your mind. You can pray them right then. He may lead you to speak to them or take some action that will show His love for them. It is only by spending time with God by talking to Him and reading about Him that you can get to know Him better, understand what His likes and dislikes are, and learn how to walk closer to Him.

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Be willing to listen, be willing to do, and you will find that God will always accept a willing heart and pour out His blessings into your life.

Loving Father, we want to walk closer to You and be pleasing to you. Help us to see better how far-reaching Your blessings and benefits can be when we obey You in doing Your will. Help us to realize more clearly the many other people that can receive the goodness of what You give when we follow what we have learned in Your Word. Thank you for the strength You give us as we talk to You and love You in return. Thank You for staying with us at all times. Be our Shepherd, Lord; we trust in You.

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