Trusting God’s Will?

At least once, the mere mention of hoping that God’s will is done has brought a negative response from the Christians I was talking with. This was a surprise, yet I’ve also been afraid of what might happen. Today’s reading says this:

I feel more deeply than I can express the grievous wrong that is done to our heavenly Father by the dread His own children have of His blessed will. If those who profess to know and trust Him dread His will, we cannot wonder that the world looks on the will of God as something to be feared and resisted more than anything else, and we need not question why they are driven away from Him. If God’s own children regard Him as a tyrant, what can His enemies be expected to think?

The difficulty lies in not really trusting that He wants our good. Satan told that lie to Eve in the garden and it worked. Falling for it brought sin into the world and it still is causing sin. Even God’s children, that lie motivates us to take matters into our own hands and not trust the Lord. Doing our own thing is the essence of sin:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

Again, it began with a lie. God told Eve she could eat anything but not from the tree in the middle of the garden. Here is the subtle suggestion that enticed her to think it would be a good idea:

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1–5)

He puts ideas like this into my head: “If you do what you determine is right or good or okay, even if God says otherwise, then you will benefit from it. The will of God is not going to do you any good.”

For most of us, failures from making decisions by trusting our own judgment ought to teach us that we don’t know what is best, but after years of being my own boss most of the time, it seems a hard way to learn. Here is a better one:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 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. (Romans 12:1–2)

Obedience and mind-renewal. Reading the Word of God feeds the new nature, building it up so I can and want to do the will of God, and obedience to what He shows me also reveals that His will is good, totally acceptable and perfect. Instead of being afraid of God and suspicious of His motives, trust is increased and my way becomes not only less important, but I start seeing it as a “grievous wrong” to God. How dare I think I know better than He does! Instead, this becomes a reality:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5–8)

PRAY: Jesus, even in ordinary life, You keep surprising me with incredible goodness, especially whenever I stop leaning on my ‘good’ ideas. Daily and unexpected answers to prayer. Unusual energy when I wait on You. Words to say when my mind goes blank. The list is long. Your will is not only good, but that goodness cannot be exhausted, yet it is always unpredictable. For all of this and all that You are, I praise You as my Lord and Savior. Amen.