Following God's Will
From an earlier season · raw & unedited
I've been learning a lot about myself recently. Its been a wonderful experience as I become older and more "set" in my ways, but it is also a scary thought. I desire new experience and I want to see many things before I die. I find now that making changes are harder than when I was younger. If I want to do something radical I am confronted with thoughts of why I shouldn't do that thing. Thoughts that typically tie me to my past or present situation. These thoughts vary and are trivial really, but I have noticed that anytime I seek to make a change in the future I am confronted with thoughts that tell me....If I fall into complacency in this place its really not all that bad.
My mind tells me, you have it made! Why would you want to change anything. I find myself not disagreeing. I do believe I have it made right now. My work load is heavy but not unbearable, my school work is challengingly but not stressing. My family loves me and I have some great friendships that are only growing stronger. I'd say 5 years ago any change would have been for the better, but now that I feel blessed I am less inclined to make change. You see I am taking ownership of my blessings.
First, the nature of change is not always bad. For example what if it is God that is asking me to make a change? What if he is asking me to take a step (or acouple of thousand steps at that matter) out of my comfort zone in order to seek him somewhere that I don't have these things to hold onto. This is a scary thought!
I'll follow, but God must be my guide. Which means that I seek to follow the will of God alone. So lets see what God says.
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Mark 3:35
"For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother."
Hebrews 10:36
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
1 Peter 4:2
As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
2 Corinthians 7:10
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
Ephesians 6:5-7
Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;
not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleaser's, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With a good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men.
1 Peter 2:15
For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
1 Peter 4:6
For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.
1 John 2:17
The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
1 Thessalonian 5:16-19
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
And perhaps the most convicting from the old NLT. I like the way it phrases it in context of what I'm saying.
Luke 14:33
"So no one can become my disciple unless he first sits down and counts all his blessings, and then renounces them for me."
Thats all pretty clear.