| Author | Message | ||
| Krista Registered user Username: Krista Post Number: 33 Registered: 8-2004 |
Just thought I would ask, since I've been thinking of this lately and it fits this conversation.... Since we are a part of God, being His children - doesn't it seem that when we pray, if we are truly at peace with God, our will is God's will? | ||
| 33ad Registered user Username: 33ad Post Number: 71 Registered: 10-2004 |
Difficult question Krista. It depends on whether we are making a petition or not. We may just be in prayer to Praise God. Remember, Christ was at peace with His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, yet He prayed "not my will but Thy will be done". It appears to me Jesus' humanity would rather not have had to go to the cross, but Jesus had to make the difficult decision to follow God's will. I'm also sure that the many martyrs for Christ would rather not have had to endure torture or death, but they let God's will be done. They were most likely at peace with God at the time, but that did not necessarily spare them pain. Stephen had a vision of Heaven while he was being stoned to death, and what he said appeared to indicate that he was at peace with God. So on that reasoning, I recon if I had to make a decision about what God's answer to my prayer would be, and if at that time I had peace in my soul about making that decision, it is most likely that I did it because it was God's will. If it were not, I would be very troubled. Just a personal note here. I went through a difficult time with my consience when I had to decide to leave the SDA's. But after very careful study and prayer for guidance, I did eventually have wonderful peace of mind when I decided to quit. So I do believe that because God's Spirit was within me, I was in conformity to God's will. This is a very good question. I'd like to hear what the other fourum members think. God Bless Loren | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 862 Registered: 12-2003 |
Krista, Oswald Chambers (whose books I highly recommend--My Utmost for His Highest has been a very impacting/influential book in my life) talks about this very subject. He maintains that as we grow in submission to Christ, His will does become our will. We do begin to think His thoughts and reflect His wisdom more and more "naturally" as new creatures in Christ. I believe that the way this becomes real for us is as we submit each decision and conversation, etc., to God. We still have our sinful flesh, even though our spirits are made alive in Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul talks about this dilemma in Romans 7. We can literally choose whether to go with our natural fleshly responses or to submit and surrender to the Holy Spirit at any time. The more we learn to surrender, the more time we spend in God's word, the more our thoughts will be His thoughts. I believe this growth will continue as long as we are alive. We won't completely "arrive"! But I do believe that we become increasingly able to recognize when we're faced with our flesh's desires in contrast with God's will. Sometimes, though, we just don't know what God's will is. I've begun to believe that at those times, I have to surrender the situation and the outcome to God and ask Him to show me His will, to impress me with His wisdom, and to make me able to see reality. A somewhat small example of what I mean happened several times in the classroom. Occasionally a devotional I read or an idea from literature sparked some good, serious discussions from my ninth-graders. (By definition, I think, ninth-graders are not mostly known for their serious, in-depth disucssions!) Sometimes kids had really penetrating questions about God's will or about how to handle difficult situations or about the reality of God and His nature. I would realize that I needed to be able to answer in a few words that were not too theological but were very practical (the kids were 14-15 yrs old, after all!) and still encompassed the reality of God's enormous grace and sovereignty. There were many times when I didn't have time to ponder the questions, and I didn't have time to pray and listen and think. So I would pray in my head as I talked, and often I would not have a sense of illumination or sudden insight. I simply had to believe that God was there, He was in me, and He was giving me His words and helping the kids to understand. I believe that when we surrender to God, we have to act in obedience and faith that He is keeping His promises to us and is glorifying Himself through what we submit to Him. We don't always "feel" it or see it--but we know He is faithful. Back to your question: yes, I do believe His will becomes our will, but this becoming is the result of our continuing surrender and obedience to His leading in our lives. He is completely trustworthy and faithful to complete what He begins in us! Colleen | ||
| Krista Registered user Username: Krista Post Number: 34 Registered: 8-2004 |
33ad, Interesting that you mentioned your struggle to leave the sda church... as I'm dealing with that right now - just haven't been able to give them my letter yet. I did get inspired the other day however, when I saw a full page ad in the recent Review for Bibles, including the Clear Word "paraphrase" and the Study Bible. It's just that the pastors are my friends; however, their church does support the main sda church. Colleen, you're so right to submit each decision to God. I really do this, with even the most trivial decisions.... you know how one tiny choice can change one's life, and God sees the whole picture that we can't see. Thanks for the book recommendation - I'll check it out! | ||
| Sabra Registered user Username: Sabra Post Number: 242 Registered: 10-2001 |
First thing I think of is Jesus asking that the cup be taken from Him--3 times, but He concluded, "Not My will but Thine be done." Our will is not always God's. |
