I don't know about you, but I have spent a lot of my prayer time asking God to reveal "His will." When we had children and we weighed the possibility of me staying home full time- I asked for His will. When my family wrestled with selling our home or staying put- I asked for His will. When considering a new job for my husband in a new city- we asked Him, again, to reveal His will.
I participate in a community women's Bible study, and a couple of months ago, the topic of seeking God's will came up. The speaker challenged that if we are in God's word consistently, then we will know His will. She said that seeking His will is not a "dart prayer" that we throw up whenever we have a tough decision in front of us. The more we KNOW the Father through fellowship with Him, the more readily we will be able to identify what aligns with His heart and desires for us.
I don't disagree with the thought process of having a better understanding of God's heart from spending time in His Word. But, I think, my mind has had a hard time believing that He has such strong opinions on exactly what decisions we end up making. Is He really invested in what zipcode my family chooses to live? Would He have been disappointed if I had decided to continue to work rather than stay home full time with my children? I recently wrote a post about having to wait, even for good things- children, relationships, healing. Knowing who our God is, we can all probably agree that those are things He loves and desires for us, yet all of us find ourselves waiting at some point or other for those good things to come to fruition. In the same vein of us having to wait for good things, things that seem to align with His desires for us, I don't know if I believe that by relocating to a new city/ community we are at risk of stepping outside of His will for us- not if our gaze is lifted up.
For me, I think the posture of our hearts is what places us in or out of His design. Are we pursuing selfish ambition? Are we begrudgingly taking steps of faith while grumbling and complaining, building bitterness in our hearts? Or are we seeking to glorify God in our actions and relationships with those around us? Are we praising the Giver of Good Gifts in the midst of seasons of suffering or transition?
Today, while reading 1 Thessalonians 5, I came across this verse:
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I am no theologian and I cannot claim to have deeply researched this topic, but those words seem pretty clear cut: God's will for us to do be joyful always, praying continuously and giving thanks in all circumstances. Keeping our eyes fixated on the King of Kings- that's where He desires for us to reside. Absolutely, He loves marriage and children and health, but more than He desires for us to have those good gifts, His will is for our hearts to be conformed more to the image of His own. For us to trust that His words are true, His character is unchanging and that His goodness is steadfast despite our circumstances, feelings or seasons of life. May that be an encouragement to all of our hearts as we continue to navigate life, big decisions and tough losses.
*I drafted this post back in March. The past few months have brought an extra layer of chaos and overwhelm for my clan as we have had multiple big decisions to make, numerous hurdles to get over all while navigating the ongoing illnesses that we all carry. I have found myself deflated and weary. Beat up and discouraged. Overwhelmed and heartbroken. The commission that we just read in 1 Thessalonians is exactly what my heart has needed to be reminded of this week. My hope is that it may be an encouragement to you, as well.
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