Responding to God's Will

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Southeast Christian Church

Apr 21, 2023

There are four ways that we can choose to respond to God's will. First, we say a flat-out no. God instructs us to go left, but we willingly choose to go right. The word for this is rebellion. Many of us have a season of life (or two) that could be described this way. Some of you might even be writing that chapter of your life right now.

Number two is halfway. This is where we pray for God's will, as long as it's convenient and comfortable. You want God's will for some areas of your life, but you also want to do things your way in other areas. For example, you pray for God's will in your home, but you still want to do things your way at work. Or you want the will of God when you’re at church, but not when you’re on the date. You are only halfway committed to God’s will.

Another way we respond to God's will is by saying, “my way”. This is what we see with Abraham and Sarah. They wanted God's will, but they wanted it to happen on their timetable. They wanted it to be on their terms. It was conditional.

Then the last option is saying that you are fully committed to God's way. You say, “God, I want your will and I want your way.” That way of living requires both surrender and submission, and there's something within our human nature that resists it though. However, when we pray and think about it, we eventually realize our only real option is to surrender. We want to pray the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane before he went to the cross to sacrifice his life: “Not my will, but yours be done.”

Reflection/Discussion Questions: Which of the four options listed above is your first resort? What do you think needs to change so that the last option is your natural response?

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