Finding the Will of God

Today's Prayer
January 13, 2006
Dear God, I am imperfect. I do sin. I acknowledge that. Please bring to my mind all my faults--anything that is sin--so that I may confess all my faults to You. I'm sorry for what I've done that is wrong and for what I should have done that is right. I pray for godly friends to whom I can confide, who will support me in prayer and whom I may support in prayer, that we may be held accountable and that we may be healed. For the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person availeth much. Even though I am a sinner, I am forgiven and made righteous through Jesus.Thank You Jesus! I pray that as my prayers reach Your ears, You will be pleased and will answer. I want to be faithful and fervent in prayer. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Finding the Will of God
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman

I desire to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart. - Psalm 40:8

How would you describe the process by which you find and do God's will in your life? For some, finding God's will is like playing bumper cars. We keep going in one direction until we bump into an obstacle, turn, and go in another direction. It is a constant process of elimination, failure, or success. Is this the way God would have us find His will? No. There is much more relationship between hearing God's voice and living within the mystery of His omnipotence in our lives. Perhaps this process is more like water in a streambed. The water is constantly flowing to a final destination. As it presses against the streambed, it gently points the water toward its final destination. There are no abrupt head-on collisions, simply slight modifications of direction. Occasionally, we come to a sharp turn in the contours of our life. For those times, God allows us to stretch our normal response to change. A popular Bible study says that we cannot go with God and stay where we are. Finding and doing God's will always require change. What changes are necessary in your life to join God in what He is already doing?

There is a direct connection between finding and doing God's will and having God's law in our heart. A friend once complained that he did not know what God wanted of him in his life. My immediate response was, "How much time do you spend with God in Bible study, prayer, and meditation on Scripture?" "Only a few minutes a day," he replied. How can we expect to hear and discern God's voice if we don't spend focused time with Him? If you have a spouse, how did you get to know him or her before you were married? You spent time together. You got to know everything about each other. Our walk with God is no different. It isn't enough to have a desire to follow God; we must put our energy into getting to know Him. His will for us flows out of our relationship, it is not an end in itself. Commit yourself to seeking Him more in your life by spending more time with Him. "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jer. 33:3).