Doves On Distant Oaks

By Whose Will?

I was thinking the other day about a phrase I often use when I pray. I'm prone to petition God by saying, "Father, I'm at your disposal, what would you have me do?" I don't think I'm the only one to pray in this manner, but is that the right question? I believe we can turn to Jesus himself and His relationship with God to more fully understand the answer to that question.

Jesus was aware of how God was working in his life and then simply joined him. He automatically knew the will of God and acted accordingly. So first, I needed to understand that I can do nothing of my own volition. I do understand that—it's a matter of faith and trust—although I have difficulty maintaining that understanding.

Often I try to wrestle control back from God. I'm sure you've heard the evolution of the phrase from "God is my co-pilot" to "If God is your co-pilot, you're in the wrong seat." Personally, even if I'm the co-pilot, I'm in the wrong seat. I have to drag myself to the back of the airplane, handcuff myself to the back seat, and put duct tape over my mouth. Otherwise I keep trying to sneak back to the pilot's seat, which assures me the plane is just about to crash and burn.

The first step I discovered was that I had to rely on my personal relationship with God. I had to try and see Him working in my life and the world around me. That is extremely difficult for me. Usually the way I do things is like shooting a sawed-off shotgun—I just point and shoot, hoping I hit something. That never works, a lesson I have to keep re-learning. Getting to know God and experience Him on a personal level is probably one of the most important, if not THE most important step in order to be more than a Sunday-morning Christian.

So, I began to follow the standard that Jesus set for me, and for everyone. When I do, it follows that the prayer petition I should be asking is simply this: "Father, show me your will ... so that I may follow." If I am truly in touch with God's will, then He will lovingly show me.

You can't lead God, you can only follow.

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel."

– John 5:19-20

Keywords: Will, Relationship

Comment publicly to Writing.com community below,
or comment privately to: [e-mail]