What in the World is the Will of God?

#87

Friend,

One would think that the Will of God would be easier to understand.

I love this quote, 'Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.' Jim Elliot

But my struggle with living to the hilt is how do I know that the situation I’m living in is the Will of God? And for that question, we need to dive into God's Will.

Most people think that the Will of God is a Plan.

God’s Will as a Plan looks like this: go to this college, meet this person, live in this house, take this job, go down this street, and get this particularly close parking spot.

But the Will of God is actually a Purpose.

I learned this from my former Pastor Wade Paschal when I asked him, “Do you think when God created me that he wanted me to be in this position at this age?” And he answered, “I think God cares much more about who you become than what you do.”

God’s Will as a Purpose looks like this: become generous, become trustworthy, become joyful, become hopeful.

When we live in the Will of God, we can trust that even when “the plan” goes off course (which it will frequently) that God’s purpose can still be done.

And that is great news because while God is working things for good, there are forces and people who are not. The job you are in may not be God’s Will for your life (as your ‘perfect’ job was given to someone else when they should have hired you), but your purpose of being joyful and trustworthy doesn’t change.

And so maybe you are weary today because you are trying to see God’s plan in the chaos instead of living in God’s purpose in His redemption.

Love,

Aaron

P.S. Did you know that I have a special Friday post and monthly post for paid subscribers? If you need a little more encouragement, then I’d love to help with that.