Are You Willing?
Are you or I really willing to do whatever God wants us to do? Really willing …. whatever …. anything …? If He called you to be a missionary (or wife to one), an evangelist’s wife, Pastor’s wife, etc….Would you answer the call? If He called your child to the wilds of India, would you tell him/her – “If it’s God’s will for you, then you’d better do it”, supporting them every step of the way?
Are we REALLY willing to do God’s will? Then why didn’t we hand a Gospel tract to that cashier the other day? Why did we ignore the Spirit’s leading to witness to that “friend” or neighbor? Why didn’t we read our Bible today or pray, but instead chose another book or an extra ½-1 hour sleep? Ouch! If we will not be “faithful in that which is least”, why should we think that God will give us a calling unto “greater things”?
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Luke 16:10
Still, the Lord may never call us for services such as those mentioned above, but whether we are willing or not to do God’s general (day to day stuff) and specific (our life’s calling) wills for our lives is the whole point.
1. But just who does God think He is that He can tell us what to do? What right does He have?
He is King of kings and Lord of Lords! Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 1 Timothy 6:15 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. Revelation 17:14 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:16
God is our Creator and created us for His pleasure.
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11
He is The Creator, we are the creature, therefore He is in command:
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? Romans 9:20-21 If we are saved, He owns us, we are His servants: For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:20 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. 1 Corinthians 7:23 This reference to “men” would also mean not to be servants to ourselves.
Now, does God own part or all of me? You?
2. Misapplication Too often, I’ve heard the following verses misquoted from the charismatic and liberal crowd:
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? Luke 11:9-12
“See, see, I just have to ask and He’ll give me whatever I want” ….But lets look at the next verse….
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke 11:13
“But, but… (we ask) don’t I get a say?”
3. Are we so foolish as to think that God does not know what is best for us and what will make us happy?
The Lord wants us to have an abundant life, but He knows what we need better than we do. He knew us even before we were born and is interested in the smallest of matters of our life.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:6-8 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. Job 13:27
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4
Plus, the Holy Spirit that He has given each child of God, knows how to intercede for us, even when we don’t know what we need.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26
4. Why do we have to be so stubborn and foolish that God often has to use drastic means to get our attention and get us to do what’s best for us anyway?
It was during the miscarriage of our 4th child that the Lord taught me the importance of being willing, and I know my illustration is a sensitive issue, but it is what the Lord used in my life. I had always said I wanted 3 children and THAT WAS IT! I was even going for surgery to ensure that we would not have anymore, but through the difficult time of our miscarriage, the Lord showed me His will, and I learned to submit. Losing that baby was one of the hardest, yet easiest, trials I have ever gone through. Those of you who have gone through this know what I mean. The emptiness of my womb was terrible, but in my heart reigned
“…the peace of God, which passeth all understanding…´Philippians 4:7
Here’s what the Lord taught me:
1. I really did want more children.
2. He owns me, therefore has complete control over my life, and I am to yield to what His will is, not somehow try to fit my will in His.
I took the loss of our child (but the Lord’s gain) as a gentle rebuke for wanting to have my own way rather than God’s way. It wasn’t that God was saying “You ARE going to have 20 kids….” it was more like I just needed to be willing to have as many as He wanted to bless me with, whether He ever intended to give me any more or not: I just had to be willing. I am NOT saying this is the case for everyone’s miscarriage, but I know this to be at least one of the purposes God had for our miscarriage, as well as for comforting others. Many of you know that God used that trial as a springboard for my poem “Our Little One” but it also got me back into poetry writing after not having written for over 10 years and I know I could not have done “My Prayer For His Will”.
I want to quote one of the first lines of my lesson: If He called your child to the wilds of India, would you tell him/her – “If it’s God’s will for you, then you’d better do it”, supporting them every step of the way?
I do know what this feels like. I gave all our children to the Lord even before they were born, and yes, two of our children thought they were called to the mission field, and I did give them that charge and another:
as long as they answer God’s call on their life (whatever that might be, whether a housewife, single Christian woman, missionary, etc. whatever), then they will be under God’s hand of protection and nothing will happen in their life that God does not allow for His glory.
They are safer in God’s will in the wilds of some foreign field than out of God’s will in our home town. All they need to focus on is doing God’s will for their life, just like each and every one of us has to.
Lord, help us to be willing, for you! – Angela Trenholm