Salvation for Gods Will ~ Part 1

   Over the past few days I have been so overwhelmed with the goodness of God in my life.  The best thing He ever did was reach down and save my wicked soul from hell, but also has made real to me another kind of salvation. The salvation of keeping me in His will when I am often tempted to run ahead and destroy it. I have always prayed since I was a little girl, "Lord, I want to be in your will. Keep me in Your will for my life." Then at times I get frustrated and saddened when MY own will is not followed. Yet in the same prayer each night I once again pray for His will. How thankful I am for His mercies and that He loves me, even in my fickle and sometimes emotional state. I am so thankful that He DOESN'T listen to my wants!

   A book a sweet friend bought for me quoted the very words that the Lord so often speaks to my heart when I question His will for my life. I say, "If you just give me this, I'd be so happy Lord." to which He responds "Would you be happy in any state? As the children of Israel would you not murmur against Me if I gave you what you wished? In My sovereignty what you have today is all You need right now, and is My most precious gift to you. Do not use My promises against Me as though by loving me you would be able to have what you wish and still stay in My will! When I questions why others have obtained what I so dearly long for. His reply, "I have other things for you. They walk a different path with different problems which would bring you much unhappiness. Do not be jealous, but rejoice in the path I have designed for you to walk." These times of prayer and 'conversation' with my Lord are the absolute highlight of my day. My heart wants to rush ahead and fulfill it's own desires not wanting to heed the warning "he who trusts in his heart is a fool", but when I commit these longings and desires to my Heavenly Father He reminds me through scripture. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9 Once again the Lord has saved me from straying from His will for my life! The difficulty is to keep a tight rein on my emotions. They are there, but it is not they who are to rule the action. A life lived for God is not lived on the feelings, but of the will. I found this excerpt from a book which I found to be so helpful when those emotions try to battle Gods will.

   
    We are not to use obeying God's Word and serving Him as a condition for IF He gives me what I want, this is not true service, and is not useful to God.God is good and because He is good He does good, so no matter what happens in life He will work it to my good if my eyes are fastened on Him.I have so much more to say, and a example that I found amazing in a well known missionary who tried so hard to run ahead of God's will, but the Lord kept 'protecting' him from destroying himself, and God's will for his life. So I'm going to put this in 2 parts. This truth is so good, and maybe you are not troubled in this area, but it is still a good reminder nonetheless. We struggle so many times with is this God's will, and sometimes decide it doesn't matter, because we know what's best. This happens in many areas of life: college, work, marriage, children, and even the day to day life.God cares for every thing we do each day and has a specific plan. More on that in my 2nd part. Here are some verses that are my favorite, especially when I want what I want now! :)

Psalm 9-10, 15, 22
  "Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation."

1Timothy 6:6
"But godliness with contentment is great gain."