If it's God's will, it will happen... or will it?
The other day I was in a conversation with a group of young people, and one of them was wrestling with how to approach their college career. It costs quite a bit to attend where they would like to. And someone made this statement, "You know what, if it's God's will, it will happen."
I didn't say anything. And honestly, I've been wrestling with that statement a bit ever since. What does that really mean: "If it's God's will, it will happen"? And, well... is it necessarily true?
Perhaps the question behind the question is, "What is God's will?" Like, what do the words "God's will" even mean? Does God have a perfect will for my life that means I have to attend a specific institute of higher learning, and if I get my degree from someplace else, then... I'm totally outside of God's will?
Also, does God get what He wants? I read that question somewhere, with the implication that, YES, God does get what He wants... and I disagree... and I still believe that Love wins. I've been reading through the Old Testament with my family at bed time each night, and we've almost made a joke out of how every other night we read, "And the people of Israel forgot God..." God's will was to be their God, and they would be His people, and yet He didn't always get what He wanted. Did He?
Jesus makes it pretty clear and straightforward in the Sermon On the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and can be summed up in Matthew 7:12, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." This is another way of saying, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus spends a big chunk of the Sermon On the Mount drawing a picture of what that looks like.
Also, Romans 12 gives some clear insight into God's will. The chapter begins, "Give your body to God as a holy, living sacrifice," and wraps up with "Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible" and "conquer evil by doing good."
So God's will has everything to do with my heart-motive, my relationships, my life-style of worship, inner-peace and peace with others.
Does God's will have anything to do with buying a car or a piece of property? Possibly.
Ultimately God's will is to know and be known by us. He gives us free will. We have freedom of choice, and His will is that we choose Him. But what if we don't? If it's God's will, does it still happen even if we don't choose it? Wouldn't that negate the command to be a living sacrifice?
I didn't say anything. And honestly, I've been wrestling with that statement a bit ever since. What does that really mean: "If it's God's will, it will happen"? And, well... is it necessarily true?
Perhaps the question behind the question is, "What is God's will?" Like, what do the words "God's will" even mean? Does God have a perfect will for my life that means I have to attend a specific institute of higher learning, and if I get my degree from someplace else, then... I'm totally outside of God's will?
Also, does God get what He wants? I read that question somewhere, with the implication that, YES, God does get what He wants... and I disagree... and I still believe that Love wins. I've been reading through the Old Testament with my family at bed time each night, and we've almost made a joke out of how every other night we read, "And the people of Israel forgot God..." God's will was to be their God, and they would be His people, and yet He didn't always get what He wanted. Did He?
Jesus makes it pretty clear and straightforward in the Sermon On the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and can be summed up in Matthew 7:12, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." This is another way of saying, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus spends a big chunk of the Sermon On the Mount drawing a picture of what that looks like.
Also, Romans 12 gives some clear insight into God's will. The chapter begins, "Give your body to God as a holy, living sacrifice," and wraps up with "Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible" and "conquer evil by doing good."
So God's will has everything to do with my heart-motive, my relationships, my life-style of worship, inner-peace and peace with others.
Does God's will have anything to do with buying a car or a piece of property? Possibly.
Ultimately God's will is to know and be known by us. He gives us free will. We have freedom of choice, and His will is that we choose Him. But what if we don't? If it's God's will, does it still happen even if we don't choose it? Wouldn't that negate the command to be a living sacrifice?
Comments
So, all that to say this. I think within the providential and moral will is a huge playing field in which we are free to make decisions. I don't think that we are outside of the will of God if we choose a less expensive college over a more expensive one. I don't know that we can put our our debt on God. "Well, I prayed that if it was God's will, a plane ticket to Africa would appear in my mailbox, and it didn't, so I must not be meant to be a missionary." God wants to to understand that He is God, and there are some things He just does, and also live according to the scriptures, have a relationship with Him. Whether we have pizza or Mexican (I choose Mexican every time) for dinner, I'm not sure He cares :)
Wow, that was a long answer, huh. I could go on and on about the freedom Christ gives us when we align ourselves with He spells out in scripture, but I think I have said enough. Maybe I'll blog about it :)