Are you struggling with God’s will for your life? One of our most significant challenges as believers in Jesus is growing in faith, so we are interested in God’s will and then follow it.
Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. [1]
As the Lord transforms our hearts, we realize that God has a plan for our lives, and as we seek Him, He reveals that to us. As we do, we often must make changes in our life. The Lord calls Himself and potter, and we are the clay, and as we follow the Lord’s plan for our life, He molds and shapes us in ways we never thought possible.
Jesus Struggled with God’s Will
As Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He knew the pain that awaited Him on the cross. Mark 14:34 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 35 He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36 “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” [2]
Jesus knew all things were possible with His Father. Jesus also knew that His Father sent Him to this earth to give His life for the sins of humanity. As Jesus wrestled with this, He prayed for His Father’s will to be done, not His. The Father makes it evident that His will was for Him to suffer on the cross, and Jesus willingly followed His Father’s will. As people, we are far from perfect and sinful. We need the Lord’s strength to be about His will, not ours.
The Lord Will Help Us Follow His Will
The Lord will help us follow His will, but how does He do that? The Holy Spirit that dwells within every believer continually prompts us as we listen to His still, small voice. We may not know what to do, but the Lord does. When we listen to the Lord, He makes His plans known supernaturally through the work of the Holy Spirit, God’s word, and circumstances.
As we cry out to the Lord in prayer, He helps us overcome our weakness, sinfulness, and selfishness to go our way. You may be struggling with God’s will for your life, and the Holy Spirit may be prompting you to pray and ask the Lord for help. As the Lord answers our prayers, He strengthens us, giving us the ability to follow His will. This may not be easy, but the Lord supports and enables us to follow Him.
Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. [3]
If you are struggling with God’s will, listen to this:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mark-gods-will-not-mine
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.