As a new believer, I struggled with knowing God’s will for my life.  Wrestling with the tiniest, itsy-bitsy decision.  Do I tie this shoe lace first or the other?  Tied up in knots!  I was miserable!  What does God want me to do?  How can I possibly know what He wants?

You know what has helped?  God’s Word… listening to what’s going on inside its pages.  Hearing the dialogues of the Bible.  How God’s people interact with Him and He with them.  Here’s a hint:  stop worrying… start enjoying the Lord.  Stop being so picky and perfectionist as if God is ready to pounce at the first sign of weakness.

Acts 18 is a helpful passage.  The Apostle Paul  is in the city of Ephesus, teaching about Jesus the Messiah.  The Ephesians can’t get enough.  They beg him to stay longer.  ‘Don’t rush off.  We have so many questions for you.  Show us more of the Bible.  Please!’

You know what Paul says?  ‘No!  Got to keep moving on for the Lord’.  I would find that hard to say.  Is this not God’s will?  Stay longer and do more for Him?  Paul says ‘no’, but does make a promise that IF it is the Lord’s will he shall return to them.  ‘…I will come back if it is God’s will'(Acts 18:21).

The word ‘if’ is most significant.  A little word with a large impact.  ‘If’ shows our confidence in God, that He always knows what’s best.  We pray for His will to be done… and then move forward.  Not looking back(hard to do!).  Not second guessing(sometimes harder!).  Going with what’s inside us as put there by the Lord.  Confident, unfettered and flexible.  Doing this-and-that ‘if’ God so wills it.

Navel-gazing Christian life is no fun.  Tied up in knots!  Not sure what to do.  Conflicted and confused.  Know what I mean?  God’s will for each of us is to ‘glorify Him and enjoy Him forever’.  That wisdom, found in the ‘Westminster Shorter Catechism'(1647), remains profoundly true today.  Simply enjoy Him.  Listen for His voice in the Bible.  Live freely.  Love Him.  Again… ENJOY Him!

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for your guidance.  The freedom we receive from following you.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.