Am I in God’s will?

In Randy Alcorn’s book, “The Treasure Principle,” he draws a dot with an arrow coming out from it. The dot represents this life, small with an end to it. The arrow represents eternity, never-ending and enormous. He challenges his readers to focus on laying up eternal treasure by obedience to God. Anyone who fills their life with things only in the dot will find that all of it eventually winds up in the dump.
 

His book, my age, and the lack of time to do all that my ambition imagines make me think about the value of those items on my daily to-do list. How important is it to have a clean house, finish a quilt, rewrite an old article, or publish the Bible studies I’ve written? In terms of eternity, these things might not matter at all — or they could be part of the plan of God. 

Sometimes this is an easy question to answer. In the case of the disciples, after Jesus was crucified and had risen and appeared to them, for some reason Peter figured it was all over and he should go back to his old life.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. (John 21:3)

The result was zilch. The author of today’s devotional reading says, “God may let the sinful world succeed in their forbidden schemes, but, blessed be His name, He does not allow His chosen ones to prosper in the path which leads them out of His holy will! He has a storm to send after every Jonah, and an empty net for every unbelieving and inconsistent Simon.”

This is true, yet God can guide His people in many ways, such as putting brick walls in our path or, as He did here, and make our wrong efforts totally fruitless. But if nothing comes from what I do, does that mean I am out of the will of God? Paul was careful about making such determinations.

Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. (1 Corinthians 4:2–5)

The problem with checking for results from my efforts is that some of them will not be seen in the dot. For instance, I might give testimony to the grace of God to someone and they do not respond at all. Yet God uses what I said to bring them closer to Him on their spiritual journey. I may never see that here in the dot, but will know about it in eternity. 

The other problem that I have with results is this; if there are none, I become easily discouraged. Being results-orientated makes it easier to clean house and make quilts than it does to record my devotions in this blog and pray every day, often for people I’ve never met. I can see the shine in my sinks and enjoy the colors in my quilts, yet usually have no idea if God is using my prayers to change lives. In this, I must live by faith. Without faith,  I would quit praying.

Deciding what to do each day is always a matter of the heart. Why am I doing it? Is it for my glory? To impress others? To make my life easier or more enjoyable? If so, then I might be out of the will of God. However, if I am doing a thing for God’s glory, or to help someone else, or simply because He put it on my heart to do it, then instead of looking for results, I need to trust Him that I am doing the right things.

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Lord, walking by faith is never as easy as evaluating what I do by the results, or it seems that way. Actually, much of what You ask of me can have visible results or not, yet Your Word clearly describes what is in Your will and what is not. Besides this clear direction from the Bible, You often give me a sense of Your presence and pleasure to affirm that I’m on the right path. That is a result of sorts, and one that gives me assurance. For life in this dot, knowing You are with me is all that I need.

God’s Escalating Promises

As I read my old journals and reflect on the events in my life, I’ve wondered, even lamented, at how slow I have been to learn spiritual principles and even slower to apply them. I’ve said many times, “If only I had known then what I know now” and “Had I understood this about God back then, what a difference it would have made in my life.” Besides regretting my slowness, I’ve sometimes questioned or doubted the wisdom of God in His dealings with me.
 

This morning, God shows me that His promises are on an ascending scale. That is, He starts with a blessing that leads to a fuller blessing. This progressing is illustrated in His promise to Abraham about the land He would give him. These few verses illustrate that progression, going from the first promise, to showing him the land, to giving it to him, and then ahead to the possession of the land by Abraham’s offspring.

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. (Genesis 12:7)

The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.” (Genesis 13:14–15)

The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you (Jacob), and I will give the land to your offspring after you. (Genesis 35:12)

The fullness of this promise did not happen to Jacob’s generation. His son Joseph rescued them from famine by bringing them to Egypt, but after his death, the people became slaves. Then Moses led them out of Egypt, but they rebelled against God and wandered forty years in the wilderness before finally beginning to take possession of the promised land.

So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war. (Joshua 11:23)

So it is with spiritual growth. We start with great and precious promises, and as we keep our eyes on them and obey God’s leading, we are tested and drawn along to the fulfillment of those promises. He does not give them all at once. That would be overwhelming. Had some of the events of my life happened earlier, before the testing and refining that made my faith stronger, I would have fallen. 

As He did for Israel concerning their land, God keeps in hand an infinite reserve of promised blessing for His children. The longer I walk with Him, the more I realize how much of His blessing is yet to be experienced. As the devotional writer for today says, who ever saw His last star?

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Oh Lord, every day You show me another facet of Yourself, another glimpse of Your wisdom and Your ways. I regret that I’ve had to learn at times by repetition, yet from these years of slowness, I more fully realize the depth, extent and stubbornness of my sinful nature. Resisting You is not wise, yet You knew I would do it and arranged accordingly that I should grow by degrees. Like a sculptor creating a statue, You keep chipping away at all the parts that do not look like Jesus, the One who lives inside me. You promised to transform me into His image, using all things for that good result. You also take time to do it, and now I understand why — You intend that transformation to be deep, extensive and thorough, eternally permanent, just as You promised.

Getting Older? Or Getting Better?

Before Leigh Anne Jasheway wrote a humorous book with the same title, the saying “I’m not getting older, I’m getting better” was popularized by a cosmetic or hair dye ad campaign, I can’t remember which. I used to say it when I was in my forties and it came to mind today when I read this verse.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

As a Christian, I’m not exempt from aging. However, there is something else going on in me. I have eternal life and that life not only renews my inner self, but affects the way I live as I age. For example, I’ve known childlike joy in the sorrows of old age aches and pains. This joy comes from the life of that inner self. Because the Holy Spirit is involved, it bubbles up, often overriding what is going on in the outer self.

The Bible talks about the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. I know that too, but it is not quite the same as this renewal of the inner self that happens even as the outer person suffers. Paul wrote more about it a bit later in the same letter to the church at Corinth.

We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:3–10)

He contrasts his experiences on the outside with the activity of the inner, eternal life on the inside. Those who take up their cross and follow Jesus know what he is talking about. To clarify the contrast, here is a list.

INNER realities	OUTER experiences & feelings
Holy Spirit, God’s power	afflictions, hardships calamities, beatings imprisonments, riots labors, sleepless nights, hunger
His righteousness
His endurance
His Purity, patience
His knowledge
His kindness and love
His truthful speech
Honored, praised	Dishonored, slandered
true	treated as imposters
Unknown >	< well-known
Living, not destroyed	Dying, or punished
always rejoicing	sorrowful
making many rich	poor
possessing everything	having nothing

I will likely not experience the extremes that Paul did in my outer life, but I have known sorrow and affliction along with an inner joy that cannot be explained except that this is God at work. He renews and makes known His presence, if not to others, at least to me. 

This has a practical application. So often I pray that God would remove trials, heal ailments, and grant favorable relationships with everyone. I want to be a good person and always rejoicing. Yet Paul was a good person and always rejoicing even in the midst of his trials, suffering and mistreatment at the hands of others. The power of God and the working of the Holy Spirit does not depend on outer experiences or even how I feel about them. He can renew that inner self no matter what is going on.

So I have to ask myself what produces greater evidence of God in my life? Is it when I have no hardship, calamity, sleepless nights, slander or poverty? Or is it when He gives me endurance, patience, joy and the ability to enrich the lives of others no matter what is happening? This is a no brainer.

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Lord, I’m not happy with feeling weaker because of health issues, or those other externals that sometimes happen, like being misunderstood, or sad, or even being known when I’d rather be invisible, or invisible when I wish someone would notice me. Yet in all these things, You are at work to build the inner self, the one that You redeemed by the power of Jesus Christ. My old nature will fade and disappear when I enter eternity. All of these external challenges will also be gone. When I think about it in this way, I don’t mind getting older as long as, because of You, I am also getting better.

Origins spell out purposes

While sometimes dismissed as myth or symbolic, all of Scripture supports the creation account. Here is how the first man came into existence.

Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. (Genesis 2:7)

The author of today’s devotional reading, George Matheson, writes that this story holds basic truth about the nature of human beings. He points out that his soul is a compound of two worlds — dust and Deity, touching both hemispheres. Man is allied to the God on one side and to the beasts of the field on the other (yet not by an evolutionary process). Adam began with a handful of dust and was finished by the very breath of God. 

This first man was not a Neanderthal. He was intelligent and able to distinguish and name all living creatures. But he was also alone and needed companionship, so God created one for him, not another man, but a different creature.

The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:20–22)

Some women do not like the “helper fit for him” part. However, this Hebrew word is “e-zar” and about support not servitude. A word with the same root and meaning is also used to describe God in verses like this one, “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life" (Psalm 54:4). Being a helper is on the deity side of things, not the dust side.

The devotional writer adds a challenge. He asks himself if he lives up to his twofold origin. Does he remember his double parentage and therefore his double duty? As I read that, I cannot help but ask the same question, but also add a third dimension to my God-created and God-given origin. 

Yet in this question, I need to remember another basic biblical truth. This creation story describes people before sin entered the world. When it did, it marred all that God intended in who they were and how they were made. Their connection to God was severed by sin, for this is what sin does. Their connection to the earth was also marred in that instead of benevolent dominion, humanity uses and abuses the world. It goes without saying that most women do not see themselves as godly helpers to their husbands either. At best they are equal partners; at worst they are in competition with their Adam as well as men in general.

Yet as a reborn believer in Jesus Christ, I understand God’s intent in Adam. I am connected to God in a living relationship as His child and His servant. I am connected to the earth in stewardship, knowing it is not my home, but acting as an ambassador for an eternal King and His kingdom. As Matheson says, I have a double-duty as a human being to serve my King and the earth where I live.

Yet from this creation account, I must give attention to this third dimension, the one entrusted to women and entrusted to me. I’ve the honored position of being helper to my Adam. This helper role is not one of being ordered about (for God is also man’s helper and no one orders Him about), but working alongside him in his task, using my skills to compliment his.

In forty years of being a Christian, I’ve had many battles with God about this. Sometimes I felt that my Adam wasn’t doing the will of God so why should I help him? Sometimes I felt that I knew a better way, or had greater insight into what God wanted. Sometimes I wanted to be my own person and do my own thing, and was just ornery about the whole idea of helping anyone else. Reflecting on these experiences, I also know that when I’m willing to do the will of God, I sense in myself that three-fold origin. I’m a child of God, but very human. I’m also created to be a helper like God is a helper. For example, when He sees my weaknesses and struggles, instead of berating me for them or dismissing my efforts, He comes alongside to help me be all that He created me to be.

You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. (Psalm 18:35–36) 

I’ve heard said that beside every great man stands a great woman. I don’t think of myself as great, but in the light of creation, I understand that concept. It is exactly what God intended when He created Adam and Eve — and me.

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Lord, so often I’ve failed to live up to this lofty three-fold intention of Yours. While it can be a puzzle to figure out what it looks like to serve You, and the dust of the earth, and help my husband, most of the time I know exactly what I am supposed to do. My problem is not ignorance but obedience. Neither can I complain with words like “I cannot” or “I don’t know how” for “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) because You are my Creator and my Helper.

Great is Thy Faithfulness

My Bible software has a new feature that allows me to convert my own writing into a “book” that can be listed in its “library” of dozens of other books, including Bible versions, commentaries, dictionaries, Bible studies and so on. In that format, the software indexes each book. That means if I type in any search word or Scripture reference, it will find and list all occurrences of that word in my library, including my own writing.
 

For me, this is a great feature. I’ve written hundreds, even thousands of pieces and sometimes need to find a particular one of them, an almost impossible task. However, to get all my articles and devotional writing ready for this, they have to be Word documents. For many years, I used WordPerfect. Now I must open and save everything in a new format. As I’ve been doing this, I’m drawn to read some of them and am amazed at the faithfulness of God. I began daily devotions in the early seventies, and have experienced His grace in speaking me through His Word every day, missing perhaps less than a dozen days on my part, and hearing silence from Him even less than that. Through this review, I’m receiving a repeated blessing.

Today’s devotional reading offers a short verse as another reminder that God is always ready to meet His people, beginning first thing in the day.

In the morning the word of the Lord came to me. (Ezekiel 12:8)

God reminds me again that a quiet hour spent alone with Him at the beginning of the day is the best preparation for the challenges that day may bring. Whether deep or brief, His Word offers advice, encouragement, correction and instruction. Prayer, whether brief of lengthy, is His avenue of giving wisdom, grace and strength. As I talk with Him, He pours out the Holy Spirit so I can carry His Word and His blessings into the day — with joy and the sense of His presence and help. 

God takes my concerns and does what only He can do concerning them — while I do the work He has given me. He watches over family and friends, lifting my burdens for their needs. He faithfully listens and allows me a joyful trust in Him. No matter how dark or discouraging my circumstances may appear, my Father’s hand is guiding and gives wise direction to every decision and problem that comes my way.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22–23)

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Praise You, Lord for always being here when I stop to spend time with You. Your faithfulness has been, and will continue to be, a great blessing. The time I spend with You is the most important part of my day, every day.