Do you know God’s plan for your life?
It’s the question most Christians want to know. We are all searching for our purpose and what we are supposed to do. Most Christians tend to associate God’s will with a very specific job, title, position, or mission. We think it is a specific career or set of actions that God wants us to do. However, Paul teaches in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 that we are to look at God’s plan in a different way.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (NLT)
God’s will is not about doing as much as it is about being. We want to know what we are supposed to do. But God cares more about who we are rather than what we do. We are to be 1) joyful, 2) prayerful and 3) grateful. We are to be this always, and when we do, that’s when we are doing God’s will. Doing God’s will means being godly in our lives. That’s when we know we are doing God’s will for our lives. Sometimes, this is easier to understand when we look at the opposite of God’s will, our own will.
Are you living God’s will or your will? Living for our will may produce short term happiness and success. However, in the long run, it will leave us feeling miserable and unfulfilled. We will also be constantly worrying and living in fear. It may be fear of failure or fear of losing all our worldly success. We will also look at people and our situation with more complaints and criticism. Essentially, our will is all about ourselves. It is about building our own kingdom. On the other hand, we experience true joy and happiness when we are living out God’s will. We understand that we are part of a bigger story that God is working in our lives. This allows us to be grateful to be part of the journey even when our own lives may be bumpy.
Have you ever wondered why God uses these three ways (joy, pray, thanksgiving) of being to describe God’s will? What is the connection?
Dr. Jim Wilder, a neurotheologian, explains that “joy is primarily transmitted through the face and secondarily through the voice. Joy is relational. It is what we feel when we are with someone who is happy to be with us.” Joy happens in the relationship, especially with God. We experience joy when we see God’s smile to us (Num 6:24-26).
‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’ Numbers 6:24-26
Our face brings joy to God and God’s face brings joy to us. Joy starts in a relationship and happens with our voices. We use our voice to say “thank you.” Jim Wilder shares that “gratitude is the first step to building joy into our lives and helps us experience a more consistent attachment with God.”
When we give thanks to God then we create joy. It strengthens our relationship and bond with God. Jim explains, “When we keep practicing gratitude with God, our brain remembers what our connection with Him was like making it easier for us to find our way back to Him.”
So when we voice our gratitude and prayers, we are remaining connected with God. Our thanksgiving is a form of prayer. Prayer are words that help us stay close to God. It reminds us to look at God’s face and that he looks into our hearts.
When we do this, we are able to be so close and connected to God. We value what God values. We care for what God cares for. When we are so attached and in sync with God, then God gives us the desires of our hearts.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalms 37:4
We are able to live out our God-given passions and purposes in our lives. We are able to hear God’s voice clearly. This, in turn, helps us to understand ourselves more clearly. God made each of us unique with certain passions, abilities, and talents. We each have desires and passions that drive us. We can live that out and contribute in the way that God wants us to. We can do so with confidence because we are being joyful, praying continually, and giving thanks. It means our relationship with God is stronger. We are trusting in God. It means we are growing closer to Him when we do that. That’s when we understand God’s heart and will.
What are some things you can be thankful for today? Write 3 things to be thankful for. Share them with three friends. Tell God.
Leave a Reply