Thy Will Be Done

Posted On October 18, 2020

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord . . .”

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

I told a friend of mine a few weeks ago, “I keep trying to figure out my life, but the more I try, the more I realize that I don’t know the answer . . . I’m not sure I even know the question.” Have you ever felt that way? If so, you’re not alone. I think we’ve all felt confused about God’s will for our lives at one time or another. Charles F. Stanley discusses this situation in his book 30 Life Principles:

“What is God’s will for your life? Do you have an answer, or do you think, Good question! If He tells you what He wants me to do, please let me know. Perhaps you know how God is leading you in certain areas of your life, and you’re committed to following Him. However, there are other situations that you are facing in which you have no idea about what to do, and you wish that God would show you the right course of action. You wonder, Why does God’s will seem hidden from me? Can I truly know what God has planned for my life? Yes you can! God does not hide His will from you. . . . If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will.”

Charles F. Stanley, 30 Life Principles

Maybe you’re confused about which path to follow. Or maybe you thought you understood your path, but you got stopped in your tracks. Maybe you made your own plans and then realized they weren’t part of God’s plans for you. We’ve all been there. The good news is that we can know God’s will. But we have to be willing to obey Him, no matter what . . .

In the movie Evan Almighty, Evan Baxter, like Noah, is called by God to drop everything and build an ark. He has to trust God’s word that there is a flood coming and follow His instructions exactly. He faces doubt and ridicule by others, but he is called to step out in faith and obey God. This is sometimes what it’s like to find out God’s will. It may not be what we’re expecting. To us, God’s instructions may seem inconvenient, crazy, or downright scary. As tough as it seems sometimes to discover God’s will, the hard part may be what comes next. Once we know what God wants us to do, we have to decide whether or not to obey. He gives us the choice, but only through obedience will we discover our true path.

“Sometimes God is so touched by what he sees that he gives us what we need and not simply that for which we ask.”

Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

I am a math teacher, and thinking about all of this reminded me of a certain type of algebra problem I have often taught: solving systems of linear equations. Systems of two linear equations may have no solution, infinitely many solutions, or just one solution. It depends on how the equations are related to each other. Graphically, a system with no solution is represented by two parallel lines. A system with infinitely many solutions is just the same line graphed twice. A system with one solution is represented by a pair of intersecting lines, with the solution represented by the point of intersection. If we think of our path in life as one of these lines, and ourselves as someone traveling along it, we may not know which type of system we are part of because we cannot see the big picture. Only God can. If we randomly choose a line to walk on, we don’t know if it will lead us to a solution or not.

In his book The Pursuit of Purpose, Clarence L. Haynes, Jr., discusses three aspects of God’s will: God’s general will, God’s specific will, and God’s daily will. He explains that God’s general will is what is laid out for us in Scripture. It’s all there in black and white. We just have to read the Bible to learn what God expects of all believers. However, God’s specific will for our lives, which Mr. Haynes describes as the culmination of God’s daily will for us, is a little more difficult to discover. As Mr. Haynes tells us, “God’s specific will is something you are led into, and it flows out of your relationship with him.” We must seek God through prayer and worship, spend time listening for His voice, read and study Scripture, be led by the Holy Spirit, and seek wise counsel and advice. God will direct our path, but it may not be with a dramatic display. Although God can work in miraculous ways to make His will known, Mr. Haynes reminds us, “We have to learn not to look for the earthquake or the fire but to listen for the still small voice. The chances are that is how God is going to lead you and reveal his purpose to you.”

If you will bear with the math analogy a little longer, we can think of the system of equations with infinitely many solutions as God’s general will for all believers. This type of system is called dependent because the equations are equivalent to each other. The solutions for one equation are also the solutions for the other. So when you graph them both, you end up with the same line twice. As Christians, we are all dependent on one another and we are all called to follow God’s instructions in Scripture. So this general path is the same for all believers. We all walk it together.

We can think of the system of equations with one solution as God’s specific will for our lives. This type of system is called independent. There is only one solution that will satisfy both equations, and it is at the point of intersection of the lines representing the equations. God’s plan for each of us often includes opportunities for us to “intersect” with someone else on a different path. When we cross paths, we have an opportunity to help each other. In this way, one “answer” satisfies the needs of both travelers.

The system of equations with no solution is called inconsistent. There is no possible solution that will satisfy both equations. The graph of this type of system is two parallel lines. Basically, if we’re walking along one of these paths, we’re going nowhere. We’re not on God’s general path, and we’re not following His specific plan for our lives, so we may wander forever and never find an answer that makes sense. So how do we know which path to follow? Scripture tells us:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

Okay, I promise I’ll stop now with the math speak. I know the glazed look I get from my students when they’ve zoned out from my lecture, so I better switch gears before we reach that point! Let’s get back to the Bible. Scripture is full of stories about people discovering God’s will and then choosing to obey or not. I have included a few in this week’s Scripture readings: Noah and the ark, Joshua entering the promised land, David fighting the Philistines, Jehoshaphat trusting God in battle, Jonah disobeying (and then obeying) God’s command, Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Paul being led by the Holy Spirit. We can read all about the consequences of their choices and, hopefully, learn that God’s way is the only way that works. When we are confused or facing a difficult situation, the first thing we should do is turn to God and fix our eyes on Him.

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV

What does it mean when we’re confused? If God wants to reveal His will to us, why does it sometimes seem like such a mystery? Charles F. Stanley gives us this answer:

“God’s will is His to communicate and fulfill. No matter what God reveals to be His plan, He will make sure that everything is in place for it to come to pass. Your responsibility is simply to obey Him right now. . . . Perhaps the reason that God’s will remains a mystery to you is that He is showing it to you one step at a time. Yes, God knows every detail of your circumstances and how they will all unfold, but He will not reveal them all at once. Instead, He will use this situation as an opportunity to teach you to trust Him. . . . Another reason you may think that God’s will is hidden from you is that you’ve failed to obey Him in some area. God has shown you what to do, but His command seems unreasonable or unimportant to you. Understand that you will not be able to move forward until you submit to Him in every area that He has called you to obey.”

Charles F. Stanley, 30 Life Principles

We must trust God and obey Him right now, taking one step at a time as He leads us. Clarence Haynes points out that sometimes God uses troubles to get us to move into His plan. God desires for us to grow and move forward. If we don’t, He may give us a nudge to get us moving in the right direction. I know that has been true in my life. When I’m struggling the most is also when I’m reaching out to God the most, asking for His guidance. Sometimes that’s what it takes to get my attention. It isn’t fun, but sometimes these growing pains are necessary. Mr. Haynes puts it this way:

“It’s like taking the training wheels off when learning to ride a bike. It feels scary and uncomfortable, but if you don’t, you’ll never learn to ride correctly. You will be stuck with them for the rest of your life. . . . Sometimes the most dangerous and unproductive place in your life is in the comfort zone.”

Clarence L. Haynes, Jr., The Pursuit of Purpose

God sometimes needs to push us out of our comfort zone in order to lead us into His will. When we feel like the path we’re on is blocked, it may be God trying to lead us to a better path . . . to His path. During these times, He wants us to reach out to Him. He wants us to find Him.

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:12-13 NIV

“However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived^‘ — the things God has prepared for those who love him — these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”

1 Corinthians 9-10 NIV

The Holy Spirit is our personal tutor and guide on this journey. He leads us into all truth and helps us to hear God’s voice. When we take the time to really listen, it’s amazing what He reveals! I have a journal that I write in every day to share with the Holy Spirit whatever is on my mind and then to record whatever I feel He is telling me. A few weeks ago, I wrote a request in my journal. I listed some things I felt He has been telling me about God’s will for my life, including things He has already confirmed several times, and I boldly asked for more confirmation. I wrote, “Have I missed anything? Am I wrong about any of this? If so, please let me know.” I confessed to Him that I was still feeling unsure. Twice I wrote, “I’m so confused.”

My 50th birthday is coming up, and I’ve had this idea in my head lately that it would be really cool to receive some kind of sign from Him on that day . . . confirmation that I’ve heard and interpreted everything correctly. I trust God, but I guess I still don’t always trust myself to understand what He’s trying to tell me. I couldn’t seem to let go of this idea, frivolous as it seems, of wishing for some kind of sign on my birthday. So I thought, it couldn’t hurt to ask. I wrote in my journal: “I know I have to be patient and trust God, and I will. I am grateful for all of the signs He has already given me. But if I may be bold, I would like to ask for at least one more . . . . It’s just a silly birthday wish, but it would be amazing if You could make it come true. If not, that’s okay. I trust You and I know I have no right to make demands. It’s just a humble request.” I’m not sure what I was expecting, and I even started to feel a little guilty for making such an appeal. After all, how many times did God have to keep confirming His will to me? So I convinced myself it was a crazy idea and tried to put it out of my mind. The next day, the following devotional was part of my daily readings:

“To pray, ‘Thy will be done’ is to seek the heart of God. The word will means ‘strong desire.’ . . . [So] what is his heart? His passion? He wants you to know it. Shall God hide from us what he is going to do? Apparently not, for he has gone to great lengths to reveal his will to us. Could he have done more than send his Son to lead us? Could he have done more than orchestrate events to awaken us? Could he have done more than send his Holy Spirit to counsel us? God is not the God of confusion, and wherever he sees sincere seekers with confused hearts, you can bet your sweet December that he will do whatever it takes to help them see his will.”

Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

You can bet your sweet December? I remember thinking what an odd phrase that was, not one I’ve ever heard before . . . Then I remembered my request from the day before — my request for a sign on my birthday for confirmation about God’s will for my life. I started getting shivers up my spine. Did I mention my birthday is in December?

Is your mind blown? Mine is. God has rocked my world on more than one occasion, so I really shouldn’t be surprised by now, but I am blown away every time! I still don’t know what this means exactly or what to expect on my birthday, but regardless of what happens, God has reassured me that He is listening and He’s got this! I don’t need to worry. I gave my requests to Him and He answered me. He gave me peace. And it looks like He may be planning to give me a really cool birthday gift!

God wants us to know His will. When we come to Him, humbly and sincerely seeking His guidance, He loves to amaze us. He’s done it for me. He will do the same for you. Don’t believe me? Just ask Him and see what happens . . .

“Spiritual life is not a human endeavor. It is rooted in and orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. Every spiritual achievement is created and energized by God.”

Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

God’s ultimate will for our lives is to transform us into the image of His Son. That’s what He is moving us toward. It’s an ongoing process, and it’s not something we can accomplish on our own. We must stay connected to God and trust Him to guide us. It is a journey that will take the rest of our lives, and He wants to be with us for every step. Along the way, He invites us to help Him in His work in the world. But more than anything else, God wants to have a relationship with us. That’s what all this is about, and once we start spending more time in His presence, we will begin to care about the things He cares about. We will feel His fire burning within us, igniting our soul and illuminating our path.

“God reveals his will by setting a torch to your soul.”

Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

This week’s Scripture passages focus on God’s will and highlight some stories of those who heard His call. There is a printer-friendly pdf version below the image. I have also included a video clip of the final scene from Evan Almighty. I hope you enjoy it! May we all learn to walk in obedience with God so that we can help Him change the world.

“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.”

Romans 12:2 NIV

References:

• Evan Almighty. Dir. Tom Shadyak. Universal Pictures, 2007.
• “Evan Almighty (6/10) Movie CLIP – Evan Speaks With God (2007) HD.” YouTube, uploaded by Movieclips, 1 June 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=80x9FmKsyg4.
• “Evan Almighty Final Scene.” YouTube, uploaded by English with Russia, 14 February 2016, https://youtu.be/ZQbX_JylHCQ.
• Haynes, Clarence L., Jr. The Pursuit of Purpose: How to Discover God’s Will for Your Life. The Bible Study Club, 2019.
• Lucado, Max. Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. J. Countryman, 2000.
• Stanley, Charles F. 30 Life Principles Study Guide: A Study for Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God. Thomas Nelson, 2008.

Images:

• Abstract Sky featured image by 95C from Pixabay
• Compass image by kalhh from Pixabay
• Road image by DarkmoonArt_de from Pixabay
• Thunderstorm image by FelixMittermeier from Pixabay
• Dove image by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay
• Noah’s Ark image by Prawny from Pixabay