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SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
What Is God's Will? |
"You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept." Matthew 5:14 (MSG)
I used to think it was crucial for me to know God's will. If I knew His grand plan for at least this season of my life, then I could direct all my decisions to fall in line.
Is it His will for me to stay in this job or change to that one?
Is it His will for me to send my kids to that school or make another choice?
Is it His will for me to teach that Bible study, serve on that committee or go on that mission trip?
I ponder and pray. I ask friends. I read the Bible. I look for confirmations that point in one direction or the other.
I assume there is one correct choice and in order to stay in God's will I must figure out that exact choice.
That's a lot of pressure for a simple girl like me. After all, I'm choosing between one good thing and another good thing. So I fret and wonder, which of these things is God's will?
But what if I'm wrong?
What if God's will is more simple than that?
It's great to ask friends and look for confirmations. But what if God is more concerned with us looking for Him than looking for answers?
We want big directional signs from God. God just wants us to pay attention.
Yes, pay attention to Him and ask Him what is our Best Yes in the midst of all the choices.
This summer, my husband got a call from one of the managers at his restaurant. It had been a busy day with lots of customers coming and going. But at one point a guy came up to this manager and handed her a card. He told her, "This is for your staff." And with an emotional catch in his throat, he said, "I just wanted to make sure they knew."
The customer then turned and left as the manager tucked the card into her apron pocket.
A little while later, she had time to open the card.
It was a note directed to the staff thanking them. It wasn't for their service or for the food. It was for their smiles.
He explained in the letter that he'd made plans to take his life that day. But their gift of simple conversations with simple smiles gave him the gift of hope.
As my husband told me the story and read me the customer's letter, I cried.
Something stirred deep inside of me.
I got this overwhelming feeling that this was a beautiful picture of how God's will works. He intersects our lives with people who need His hope and whispers to us, "You have the hope they need ... give it to them."
Maybe it's to offer them a little of our time. Maybe it's to share a little of our story. Or maybe, like with this customer, it's to simply offer a smile. And when we listen, a shift happens. It's like the world splits open with each of our simple acts of obedience to God and His light breaks apart the world's darkness. This is a Best Yes. This is us paying attention.
In our key verse, Matthew 5:14, we're instructed to be the light to those around us, "You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept." God wants us to let our light shine. This is His will. This is His plan. This is His instruction.
And when we get in the habit of obeying His instruction today, we'll develop a keen awareness of His direction for tomorrow.
The more we pay attention to these moment-by-moment instructions by God, the more our thinking starts to line up with God. Our mind gets in a new rhythm of seeing what He wants us to see, so that we can do what He wants us to do.
Dear Lord, I want to be a light for You today. Show me specifically whom I can give Your hope to. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Romans 12:2, "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." (NIV)
RELATED RESOURCES:
Learn more about tangible ways to make God-honoring decisions in the midst of life's endless demands with Lysa's new book, The Best Yes. Click here to purchase your copy.
Talk through more opportunities to obey God's instruction each day with thousands of other women when you join The Best Yes Online Bible Study! The study beginsSeptember 22. Click here for more information and to sign up. You don't want to miss this!
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
What moment-by-moment instructions from God have you been missing? Start to recognize them by spending time getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into you. Ask God to reveal simple acts of obedience you can follow through with each day.
© 2014 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
630 Team Rd., Suite 100
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Thursday, 11 September 2014.
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