Been Thinking About...

So been chewing all week on the Will of God.. Been listening to a great speaker that is teaching on some of the pitfalls that we fall into when thinking about the will of God..

I usually think that God has a specific thing He wants me to do.. go here, talk to that person, have this job, go to this church, etc. etc. And I believe in certain situations, yep that is what He is up to.. but as I look into this teaching, more and more I realize the freedom that is found in recognizing the different Wills of God..

1. His sovereign Will - This is the will that we don't understand.. It's the will that speaks and makes things happen. Nothing can thwart it, nothing at all that we can do can stop it. Whether we make good choices or bad choices, this type of will will continue (Eph 1:11, Rom 1:18). It's God's "secret plan that controls the outcome of all matters in the universe". This is what the Bible means in scripture when it talks about God hardening and softening hearts - it's His sovereign will.

2. His Moral Will - This is the will that wants every human to be saved. It appears to fly in the face of His sovereign Will (why so many people fight over pre-destination).. but the truth is .. they work together as a holy mystery. We can't understand how God can say "i will harden those I will Harden and soften those who I will soften, and I'm not willing to see any man perish".. we can't make sense of that stuff.. but .. um.. we are not God.. :) God's word is His moral will.. and it's not about specifics, but about being protected. As long as we are in His moral will we are protected.

3. His Individual Will - We think.. who will i marry, how will i know, where will i go to school, how will my life look in 20 years.. It's not that God doesn't care about that stuff, or have desires for us in this lifetime, but His individual will has NOTHING to do with where we are, but everything to do with WHO we are. Asking the question - who should i marry is the wrong question - what KIND of person should I marry is the proper one. I used to think that it was a particular path, and if we get off the path then GOd will use our ignorance, but it won't be the best life.. but it's not like that.. It's about our hearts, and our lives lived before Him.. It is all about the inward, not the outward. Col 1:9

So.. When I worry if this decision or that decision is in or out of GOd's will.. well it can never be out of his sovereign will - He's too big for that.. I can get myself messed about with His moral will - i need to ask - what does His word say?? if it's good with that.. then onwards.. and then finally to deal with me and God's Individual will for me.. what kind of person does this decision make me? And voila.. you know if you are in God's will.. HECK of a lot less complicated that it's been made out to be.. and SOOO much freedom. Praise God for His will!!