"Now,
Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your
God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with
all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD'S commandments and
His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? Deuteronomy 10:12-13
Numerous people are convinced through
repeated teachings that there is a specific plan that God has for each person’s
life. You would think that would make
life easier. If God has laid out the
perfect life for me, then I just have to conform my life to God’s will and
follow where He directs. But the
opposite is the usual result. People are
terrified of going against God’s will and yet, at the same time they are told
that there isn’t a clear way to determine what God wants them to do. Instead, they are told to check things like
inner feelings, advice of the godly, looking for opportunities or noting when
ways are blocked, and seeking out signs. Typically these supposed guides conflict or do
not provide a clear message. As a result,
the person is left terrified of making any move for fear of making the wrong
move. Instead of comfort, anxiety and
frustration results. .So we come to the question: What does God want me to do?
God Wants Us to be Righteous
In Deuteronomy 10:12-13 above Israel was told of God’s requirements:
In Deuteronomy 10:12-13 above Israel was told of God’s requirements:
·
fear the Lord
your God…
·
walk in all His
ways…
·
love Him…
·
serve the LORD
your God with all your heart and with all your soul…
·
keep the LORD'S
commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today
It isn’t
just what we do, but why we do it. God
does not force us to follow His teachings, He expects us to choose; to decide.
Choices
are not limited to just matters of right and wrong. There are many areas of our lives where it
isn’t a choice between right and wrong, but between good and better. God hasn’t left us adrift there either. There are many passages in the Bible where we
can find wisdom for our walk:
·
Proverbs
24:13-14 - Find wisdom to retain hope
·
Proverbs 3:13-18 - A source of happiness
Have you
ever stopped to think: Why would we need wisdom if our choices are already
mapped out? God has given us the
ability to make decisions and expects us to use it. He has taught us what makes a good or bad
decision through His Word.
When making a choice, we must
recognize how little is actually in our control, but we must still make choices;
and some will be tough. In other words, the
optimal path or the path of least resistance is not always the best way.
Sometimes choices are made despite
having to give up what we see as opportunities.
Sometimes plans are made despite hindrances and difficulties. What I choose won’t alter God’s overall plans. It would be arrogance to think that man could
alter God’s plans. Unlike man, God has
complete control over the future, and the promise of God is that when I keep my
choices in accordance with the righteousness He has taught me, He will make
those choices work out for the best. He
just wants us to seek Him and His wisdom to make choices. He wants to be the first thing we think of
when we are perplexed about a situation or a relationship in life. He is the know all, end all, be all. He knows the beginning and the end and He
wants us to seek Him and trust
Him. Once you decide you want to seek
Him, you have to be willing to accept
His will. Sometimes that is so much
harder than finding what His will is in the first place!
Scripture to Claim:
And we know that God
causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who
are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28
