Struggling with God’s Will

A recent devotion I read from Chuck Swindoll, taken from his book, The Mystery of God’s Will, got me thinking. I’m in a bit of a dilemma over knowing and following God’s will.

In the devotion, Dr. Swindoll says that God’s will for us

“…almost without exception requires risk, adjustment, and change. We don’t like that. Even using those words makes us squirm. Experiencing the reality of them is even worse.”

Swindoll goes on to talk about our love of the familiar, the comfortable, something we can control. And I think that is usually true.

…And here is where the dilemma comes in. God’s Word also tells me that the Lord will give me the desires of my heart. Here it is, scripture and verse.

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires”. Psalm 37:4

How do I get from “the desires of my heart” to being willing to risk, make adjustments, change?

I think it comes with spiritual growth..maturity…trust in God. Our desires become what He wants for us. His desires become our desires. We trust in His unfailing love, as the song says.

Jesus went through that dilemma in the Garden of Gethsemane. Facing what he knew to be a horrendous agony and death on the Roman cross, He asked His Heavenly Father if there was any other way.

“My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet, I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Matthew 26:39

Chuck Swindoll concludes this way:

…the closer we walk with the Lord, the less control we have over our lives, and the more we must abandon to Him. To give Him our wills and to align our wills to His will requires the abandonment of what we prefer, what we want or what we would choose.

God’s will and God’s way in your life and mine brings the ultimate satisfaction and joy. If we give up anything…comfort or control…it is for the better life our Lord has laid out for us as part of His plan.