Dear Legacy Dads,
I want to apologize to all of you for being absent these past several weeks. As life would have it, my father passed away at the end of September and we have been in all out take care of family and finalize details for his burial and add to that fall break vacation with the wife and kids.
This is a bitterly sweet moment for me in that my dad is no longer in pain, no longer suffering and with Jesus and my mom. The bitter part is that I don't get to see him or talk to him until I see him in Heaven.
All this being said, brings me to this blog post, "What is God's will for my life?"
Many of you (us) ask questions such as these (or statements)
- I am not sure what God's will is for my life.
- What is God's will for my life?
- What job should I take?
- Who should I marry?
- Who should I date?
- Which way should I go?
- I am not sure that I am in God's will.
I believe that you (we) are asking the wrong question. You see, when we turn to the Truth (God's Word) we find the answer very clearly:
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8English Standard Version (ESV)
A Life Pleasing to God"4 Finally, then, brothers,[a] we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification:[b] that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body[c] in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you."
Sanctification is defined as, "the act or process of acquiring sanctity, of being made or becoming holy."
I believe through Scripture (The text previously read, Colossians 3 (Rules for Holy Living) and Romans 12 (Living Sacrifices)) we find clearly in the way that God wants us to go. His will for our lives in our sanctification.
The right question, then, becomes: Am I in God's will?
The answer then comes from those around you (your spouse, your family, your church and especially your fruit (found in Galatians 5).
If you are looking for the will of God, you have to ask if your life is in obedience and submission to God and whether or not you feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit when you are in His will, when you are contrary to His will and especially you are opposing His will.
God gives us His Spirit to guide us and coach us on the way that we live!
I believe that when you ask the right question and seek to be in His will daily (your sanctification) and when you walk with others and pray daily and mediate on God's word and His will, THEN you will find the direction and the answers to your questions.
For so many years I tried to build my own kingdom and seek my own will until I completely surrendered to His will. I am not saying that I always get this right, because I mess up daily. I get selfish and I can lose my cool with my kids and other people can frustrate me (and do). But then the Holy Spirit nudges me and God's word convicts me to repent and to seek His will and not my will.
If you are reading this, maybe you are feeling convicted by the Spirit in the ungodly things that you are practicing....
If you are reading this and are in His will - bless you!
Blessings,Dante