Today has been rough

Today has been rough. I won’t sugarcoat it…it’s been the kind of day when you ponder (no, question would be more appropriately stated) God’s work in your life. You know…the “why did that happen to me?” kind of day.

So as I was “pondering” (i.e. complaining) to God, I asked what difference it made if I was following His will instead of my own. And what was God trying to teach me through the circumstances of my life anyway?

The answer was simple. “My will shall be done on earth, as it is in heaven. I am teaching you obedience, because in heaven, your will won’t matter. Only mine will be done. And I need to know that you will do it….now….on earth.”

Now for those of you who don’t believe God speaks to you, I regret to say I cannot apologize. He does speak. The question lies in whether or not we are willing to listen to His voice.

If we are saved by the blood of Jesus, then we have the Holy Spirit living in us. And that Spirit reminds us of everything that Jesus has said to us. So when I “hear” things like “My will shall be done on earth, as it is in heaven”, then I know God is speaking to me loud and clear, because He said this to me in His word. (see Matthew 6:10).

Back to the question at hand…What difference does it make it I am following Your will instead of my own?

Think about it for a minute.

My will gets me into financial difficulty. My will might bring me momentary pleasure, but it will surely be fraught with anxiety and worry after the pleasure ceases. My will has me turn back from taking that job that is out of my comfort zone. My will causes me to never reach out to that hurting teenager who is pregnant, but can’t tell her parents.

But God’s will, now that is something altogether different. God’s will directs me to stay out of the stores when the paycheck is slow in coming. God’s will keeps me from the bars and the enticements of promises never kept. God’s will puts me in a job where I have to depend on Him to help me overcome my fear of failure. God’s will causes me to drive to the Crisis Pregnancy Center to volunteer on a Saturday when I would rather be home in my garden.

I read this morning in 2 Thessalonians 3:3: Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. And I pondered on that all day long.

I dare say that God – in the wee early hours of the morning – was directing me to remember that Christ, in His patience, waited for me to acknowledge and accept His love for me.

So now – at the close of this day - may the Lord direct my heart into the love of God.

And as my heart is directed into the love of God, I am confident that I will desire nothing less than to do His will on earth, as I will one day do in heaven. Oh God, unite my heart to fear Your Name. (Ps. 86:11)

Oh, how He loves you and me.