The heavens declare the glory of God.
Psalm 19:1
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‘Joy...in the Morning’
Training Our Will To Seek God's Will
by
Dotty Moore
Many of us reluctantly begin our days “seeking”
the same old things: What time is it? What’s the
weather going to be like today? What should I
wear? What should I eat? Now, what time is
it? Why do I have to be the one to get everybody
else moving?
Where in the world did I put the keys? Where are the kids? What time is it, NOW? Where, oh where, is the peace of mind in all of this madness!
Through the fault of no one and everyone, including ourselves, we’re caught up in a traffic jam of emotions when all we really want is a little more sleep and a lot more time “just to collect my thoughts.”
We need perspective, don’t we? Perspective as in seeking God’s will for our lives and asking Him to help us find it.
The season of Lent, marking the calendar of Christians around the world, is a time set aside to do just that: collect our thoughts and gain perspective by focusing on the Cross of Christ.
For the Christ-follower, perspective comes from drawing ourselves apart from the chaos of daily frustrations into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. But you know what? It can’t be done as a separate part of who we are; it can only happen within the footprint of ourselves, the space deep inside us, into which we invite the Lord to dwell.
Dear Lord Jesus, please come and dwell in me. Help me find understanding and meaning amid life on this earth. Above all, help me to train my will to seek Your will.
Remember the old expression, “Lord willing”?
"Lord willing, I'll see you next week." "Lord willing, I'll come to your wedding." "Lord willing, I'll plow the fields and plant the corn."
Perhaps we, today, should borrow from the old-timers and say Lord willing. It might eliminate a lot of stress in our day-to-day lives. Might even help us with the perspective we’re seeking.
Proverbs 8:10-11 tells us that instruction from the Lord is more desirable than silver; knowledge is preferable to the finest gold; and wisdom is better than rubies.
Do we, for a minute, believe that? We might agree that we should, but do we? Do we truly prefer instruction, knowledge or wisdom from God over and above making money? Over and above material possessions that spell “success”? Over and above walking tall and flashing our accomplishments in a crowd?
From the depths of our own free will, we usually prefer what can be seen, measured and counted rather than so-called precious gems of truth.
But, what if? What if, in the days leading up to a solemn remembrance of the crucifixion of our Lord, we were to take a moment here and there and heed the instructions of Jesus in Matthew 6:33: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (New King James Version).
What if we approach the start of each new day with a Lord-willing attitude. "Lord willing, I will set out to cultivate the more valuable blessings of a relationship with You rather than set my sights on earthy treasures." "Lord willing, I will train my will to do Your will before my own."
If you’re like me, you welcome reminders of how heeding scriptural instruction brings a sense of calmness, even in the flurry of the start of each day and the inevitable stress of pulling it all together. Claiming God’s promises in His own Word offers a peaceful assurance that, despite the multitude of concerns in our daily struggles, everything will somehow, some way, be okay.
This comes about because, when we truly listen to God’s Voice through His Word, we’re reminded to place everything in His hands.
It seems to me there is no risk involved in following the Lord's instructive encouragement; but there is every conceivable risk looming when we choose the silver, the gold, the material possessions ahead of a healthy, wise respect of God's plans, God's teachings, God's way, and most of all, God's will.
Dear Lord, please fill me with a desire to pause before You, in the crush and rush of my life, to seek Your will above my own. I want to emerge from this season of my life, this season of Lent, stronger, more focused, more fit to continue the journey with a renewed perspective. In Jesus' Name, please stir within me a longing to receive all You hold for me in Your outstretched hands. Amen.
© 2007 by Dotty Moore. All rights reserved.
Dotty Moore
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