No one understands God's perfect ways or even why God acts in such a way for some and in another way for others. How do we even know for sure we are walking in His will?
We can't see the future. Our feelings are fickle. We can't control other people's decisions. So how do we walk down that specific path God has lighted for us? We live in a very imperfect world and since we don't control other people, we can't be responsible for their choices.
The only alternative we have, then, is to walk the closest we can to the Lord God Almighty and expect Him to turn us from the wrong direction. We have His guidebook, His Word. We have the Holy Spirit. Combine this with our love for our Daddy and a deep desire to do His will and it is a fairly reliable recipe for following His will. It is only when we let our own desires get in the way that we veer off the path and stretch our leading strings.
I fully believe that God allows us an exploratory romp or two down side paths because this is how we learn God's guiding hand on our reins. We learn the feel, the gentle tug. If we don't acknowledge it, that nudge to pull to the left or right or that signal to stop, then God will get more urgent and sometimes the bit will dig in and hurt.
It isn't God that is causing the hurt, it is the stubborn ignoring of His guiding signals.
We can't walk in His ways unless we know Him. We can't know Him unless we study His Word. We can't study His word unless we take the time. We can't take the time unless we make it a priority. Therefore, priorities are crucial to knowing God's will.
I heard someone say that the difference between the ethical man and the moral man is simple. The ethical man will pause to consider the consequences of commiting adultery. The moral man would never consider adultery at all.
That is another key to following God's will. Never allow consideration of doing something that is contradictory to His commands. That part is simple enough, but incredibly hard to do, don't you think?
Psalm 37:4 says that when we delight in the Lord, He will grant us the desires of our hearts.
How precious that God gives us our desires when we delight in Him. That means those desires are not harmful. They are good for us and others. That means that our hearts are pure. What a joy to have a pure heart. That also means that our prayers are righteous and the prayers of the righteous avail much. We have a responsibility to dive into the middle of God's will and to delight in Him.
How precious it is to sit on His feet.
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