- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
- Messages
- 18,404
God’s Will for You (2)
‘I delight to do Your will, O my God...’
Psalms 40:8
In discovering and doing God’s will for your life, you must come to terms with what you think you should be. Comparison kills spiritual growth. For example, the mother of three young children hears her pastor preach about Christians who rise at dawn every day to spend an hour of quiet time with God.
The fact is, she’d love an hour of quiet time—any time! But her kids won’t cooperate! So what she takes away from the sermon is that she doesn't measure up as a Christian. In essence, she’s practising ‘spirituality by comparison’ and living under a cloud of guilt. It doesn't occur to her that the love she expresses to her children counts as a spiritual activity. Or that she may be serving God more faithfully than somebody who neglects their family in order to have that hour of quiet every morning.
Another example: a gregarious, spontaneous husband is married to a woman who enjoys solitude. It comes easily to her. Nevertheless, he feels like he’s a failure when it comes to prayer because he doesn't enjoy being alone the way his wife does. He doesn't consider that his joy and willingness in serving others counts, or that the degree to which he loves them is shaping his soul and delighting God.
‘Should’ is an important word, but when it comes to spiritual growth, God doesn't want you to obey Him just because you ‘should’. He designed you to want His plan for your life—to get to the place where you can say, ‘I delight to do Your will, O my God.’
written by Bob Gass
‘I delight to do Your will, O my God...’
Psalms 40:8
In discovering and doing God’s will for your life, you must come to terms with what you think you should be. Comparison kills spiritual growth. For example, the mother of three young children hears her pastor preach about Christians who rise at dawn every day to spend an hour of quiet time with God.
The fact is, she’d love an hour of quiet time—any time! But her kids won’t cooperate! So what she takes away from the sermon is that she doesn't measure up as a Christian. In essence, she’s practising ‘spirituality by comparison’ and living under a cloud of guilt. It doesn't occur to her that the love she expresses to her children counts as a spiritual activity. Or that she may be serving God more faithfully than somebody who neglects their family in order to have that hour of quiet every morning.
Another example: a gregarious, spontaneous husband is married to a woman who enjoys solitude. It comes easily to her. Nevertheless, he feels like he’s a failure when it comes to prayer because he doesn't enjoy being alone the way his wife does. He doesn't consider that his joy and willingness in serving others counts, or that the degree to which he loves them is shaping his soul and delighting God.
‘Should’ is an important word, but when it comes to spiritual growth, God doesn't want you to obey Him just because you ‘should’. He designed you to want His plan for your life—to get to the place where you can say, ‘I delight to do Your will, O my God.’
written by Bob Gass
