watering what is already there…
Here are some ramblings from my journey… Still exploring, still learning, still seeking deeper understanding, still growing…
Within the context of a loving relationship, conversation is the thing that keeps us connected, interacting, engaged, growing…
If prayer is conversation with God, does the way we pray contain all those elements that say we are truly connected and engaged; open and honest; responsible and committed; intentional and sincere? A well rounded sum of all that goes into a heart-to-heart, deep, meaningful conversation?
Praying “in accordance with God’s will”
Often, we do not understand God’s stand on the things we pray about. Or we have trouble accepting His perspective. We may fail to take His stand seriously. And like children, we may try to coax Him into doing something against His very nature.
For example:
“Lord, help me get through the evening without bumping into Alice because I can never forgive her for what she’s done to me.”
“God, I know what you say about extramarital sex, but I really love this other man…”
If “prayer” is talking to God, we are free to tell him anything we feel, even if it does not line up with the way He thinks. But through our conversations, as we get to know Him better, we begin praying “according to His will,” that is, we talk with God while keeping in mind who he is and how He thinks. This is something we learn on a daily basis.
It is not a tag that is automatically slapped on to the things that happen in our lives, both negative and positive – parents that lose their child, a house that burns down, a car crash that leaves a family in devastation; or losing 10 pounds through exercise, winning the lottery, surviving cancer, etc…
Most of the things that happen to us are the simple result of cause and effect. A man drinks and drives. He hits another car and hurts the family in it. A woman leaves a candle burning while she sleeps and this results in the fire that burns her house to the ground. A man buys a lottery ticket that ends up being the winning number.
Not everything that happens on this earth automatically lines up with His deepest desire for us. Much of it just happens. And we live in a corrupted world that is far from perfect.
But does this mean God is disengaged, not involved in journeying with us?
There is a distinct difference between saying God causes the things that happen in our lives vs. saying God is in the business of turning what was meant for evil/harm into good. That’s what the story of Joseph teaches us.
And we need wisdom to discern the difference between cause, effect and the choices we are presented with at every turn. Our choices will make us or break us.
So what exactly is God’s will? Bear with me as I explore this much talked-about and explained topic.
1) It is His heart for us. It’s His deepest desire for us. As a perfect, holy, infinite Being, our Creator knows what is best for us and has our best interest in mind. It’s knowing Him, receiving all that He has to offer and desiring to be more like Him. And in knowing Him, loving Him, worshipping Him and submitting to Him (trusting that what He offers is the best). It’s thriving in our relationship with Him, in our lives, and in our relationships on earth. It’s about taking an intentional stand against sin and being spared as much of the pain and destruction it brings on this earth. It’s about choosing righteousness.
Note: All scripture is below is from ESV and The Message. Words referring to “God’s will” are highlighted in red in both versions.
Romans 12:2
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (ESV)
The Message puts it this way: “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.“
1 John 2:16-17
“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever”. (ESV)
The Message puts it this way: “Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.”
So when I pray, “God, your will be done,” I’m saying, “I really hope what you have in mind for me happens as I obey you.”
2) It is the way He wants us to live – pleasing Him, honoring Him, loving Him, obeying Him, imitating Him, becoming more and more like Him…
1 Thessalonians 5:18
“…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (ESV)
The Message puts it this way: Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
1 Thessalonians 4:3
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality…” (ESV)
The Message puts it this way: God wants you to live a pure life. Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity.
Hebrews 13:20-21
“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (ESV)
The Message puts it this way: “…provide you with everything you need to please him…”
Colossians 1:9,10
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
The Message puts it this way: “We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work.
3) It is His best plan for humanity – this includes salvation, relationship with the Father, eternal life, worship…
Matthew 6:10
“…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (ESV)
The Message puts it this way: “Do what’s best—as above, so below.”
Hebrews 10:36
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” (ESV)
The Message puts it this way: “But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.”
Ephesians 1:11
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will…” (ESV)
The Message puts it this way: “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.”
4) It’s everything that accurately and consistently reflects who He is –His character, His plans, His purposes, His desires, His ways. It is everything He stands for. It’s everything that is in perfect alignment with everything God is.
Praying in accordance with His will then is simply this – it is watering what is already there–the unshakable person and character of God; and waiting, watching for things to grow, bloom and bear fruit. It is veering away from being me-centered to being God-centered. It is wanting to become more and more like Him so I reflect Him with more accuracy and consistency.
It’s saying, “God, I want my heart, mind, and spirit to align perfectly with yours because I love you.” The outcomes of such a prayer will accurately and consistently reflect His character and heart. The results will honor Him and make Him look good.
While God does care deeply about the fine details of our lives, and wants His best for us, His will for us seems to be more about better understanding the bigger picture of His desires for us as His beloved creation, and not about if we should choose one parking spot over another, one career path over another, one person to marry over another. If we understand His desire for us to live our lives in a way that is His design for us, perhaps He is trusting us to make good choices (see blog post – How should we then pray) – choices that simply reflect His “big picture” desire. In doing so we find ourselves in His will.
So perhaps God’s will isn’t really a tiny little target so far away, and that you only have one tiny little arrow and one chance to either “hit the mark,” or miss it forever and be condemned to a life of not having found God’s will. “Hitting the mark” is more about grasping the bigger picture and allowing Him to work in our lives which will automatically impact our choices and decisions, as we are drawn more into His intended design for us.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
The Message puts it this way: “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.“
Much of our praying is focused on asking God to change things that have already happened or to prevent impending things from happening. We ask for protection. We ask for guidance. We ask for resources.
How often do we pause to discern what God’s deepest desire for us and others would be in the difficult situation we’re in and then pray along those lines?
May we grow in our prayer lives to truly ask for God’s will be done, for His ways to be upheld, for His deepest desires and purposes to be fulfilled.
You may also want to check out these related posts on prayer:
http://www.ducodivina.com/on-how-then-should-we-pray/
http://www.ducodivina.com/on-asking-for-the-right-things/
http://www.ducodivina.com/-praying-responsibly/
http://www.ducodivina.com/on-the-reality-of-living-in-a-corrupted-world/
~shini abraham, ©2016, duco divina – contemplative doodling
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