The Will of God

[rgcraig]

If you have prayed and given something to God and feel the perfect will of God in something, THEN.......someone steps in and messes things up was it really the perfect will of God?

If it was the perfect will of God would he have allowed that person to mess things up?

Just thinking outloud.

[philjones]

If you have prayed and given something to God and feel the perfect will of God in something, THEN.......someone steps in and messes things up was it really the perfect will of God?

If it was the perfect will of God would he have allowed that person to mess things up?

Just thinking outloud.

Renda,

I am one who believes there is only one will of God and it IS perfect.

That said, remember whose eyes are viewing and measuring the mess... the "perfect" will of God is often not perfect as you and I measure perfection! :)

[Coonskinner]

I have recently had occasion to ask the same question.:)

The thing about the will of God is that it usually involves other people. And they don't always do the will of God, since they have this thing called free will.

Consider this Scipture:


Job 23:13 But he [is] in one [mind], and who can turn him? and [what] his soul desireth, even [that] he doeth.


Job 23:14 For he performeth [the thing that is] appointed for me: and many such [things are] with him.

When it comes to things appointed for us, Job said "many such things are with him..."

God always has a multiplicity of plans for our lives, and the hindrance of humanity will never permanently sidetrack our progress if we walk uprightly before Him and keep our hearts right.

[rgcraig]

I have recently had occasion to ask the same question.:)

The thing about the will of God is that it usually involves other people. And they don't always do the will of God, since they have this thing called free will.

Consider this Scipture:


Job 23:13 But he [is] in one [mind], and who can turn him? and [what] his soul desireth, even [that] he doeth.


Job 23:14 For he performeth [the thing that is] appointed for me: and many such [things are] with him.

When it comes to things appointed for us, Job said "many such things are with him..."

God always has a multiplicity of plans for our lives, and the hindrance of humanity will never permanently sidetrack our progress if we walk uprightly before Him and keep our hearts right.

Thanks Phil and Coon - - this is what I've always felt too. God's perfect will is going to take place no matter what.

[Pressing-On]

Renda,
I believe that as we are being perfected we are going to experience hardship in many ways. Sometimes it seems as though things that press against us are doing us harm, but by staying plugged in to Him we find that these very things have done us good. Sometimes we don't realize this until we've walked down that road a way.

We had a church situation that happened about nine years ago. I think it's been nine years! lol! Lord, I don't wish it on my worst enemy. Anyway, the Lord just cleared that up for us recently. One thing I did learn, the hard way, - If I hold my peace and let God fight my battle, victory, victory shall be mine.

We were hurt badly and it made it look like it was our fault. I lived with that for years. It actually zapped us of our dreams, hopes and a lot of our energy. We felt as though the very thing we wanted to do for God was gone. I then began reaching for things to fill that void. God began to step in as if to say, "No, that is not what you really want." He is faithful! I have a new appreciation for Him "knowing what is in my heart".

The whole truth of that situation has come out and people are looking at us and saying, "Wow, they were right the whole time". My husband and I had to stand - alone - for what was right in God's eyes.

We have been plugging along just trying to feel like we had what we once had. Today, God is rebuilding all of these things in our lives - the desire, commitment, vision. It's a beautiful thing. The amazing thing is to feel so helpless for so long and then watch God turn that around!

I can stand here more pliable in His hands than I have ever been in my life. It's a peaceful feeling.

It just reminds me of this scripture in II Peter 1:3-8:

3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[rgcraig]

Thanks PO - - hopefully, this thread will help others too!

[QueenEsther]

The will of God can be very confusing in my opinion, of course the older you get and the more prayerful you are the clearer it is but it still can be confusing. There have been times in my life where I knew I was NOT in the will of God. Yet, in the end (up till now anyways) it seems that the paths I took helped me to get to where I am today. As I look back (it seems that when you look back you see things with 20/20 vision rather than when you are in the situation) I can see how I was in the will of God, maybe not ever single action I took was the will but I feel that God helped to re-direct me when I would fall to the wayside and help me get back in the right direction, maybe I had to take a different route than what he originally had planned but ulimately I got where I needed to go.

I know this probably doesn't make sense to anyone else but it is just how I look at it.

[Pressing-On]

Thanks PO - - hopefully, this thread will help others too!I'm glad that you started it. It is a subject that proves that God does work in our lives no matter what it looks like to other people.

One scripture He kept giving me was, "No weapon formed against thee shall prosper."

It certainly looked like it was prospering well, at times!!! lol!

I'm amazed at the clarity that God gives us after we come through things and the patience that we rest in!!!

I was sitting in a meeting last night and thinking of how far I have come and how I could sit there and take each person, with problems, and not look at them as anything other than - a work in progress. Not that I have arrived, but I've obtained some things along the way and I appreciate God for that!

[Sarah]

PO.......what a wonderful testimony! Thanks so much for posting.

If we could only learn to 'stand still, and let God'......how much better off we would be.

Nine years.......now that was a long time to hold your 'peace'!

God is faithful........

[QueenEsther]

I'm glad that you started it. It is a subject that proves that God does work in our lives no matter what it's looks like to other people.

One scripture He kept giving me was, "No weapon formed against thee shall prosper."

It certainly looked like it was prospering well, at times!!! lol!

I'm amazed at the clarity that God gives us after we come through things and the patience that we rest in!!!

I was sitting in a meeting last night and thinking of how far I have come and how I could sit there and take each person, with problems, and not look at them as anything other than - a work in progress. Not that I have arrived, but I've obtained some things along the way and I appreciate God for that!

Amen!! Well, said you said alot of what I was trying to say, I just can't get the words right all the time. :)

[Pressing-On]

The will of God can be very confusing in my opinion, of course the older you get and the more prayerful you are the clearer it is but it still can be confusing. There have been times in my life where I knew I was NOT in the will of God. Yet, in the end (up till now anyways) it seems that the paths I took helped me to get to where I am today. As I look back (it seems that when you look back you see things with 20/20 vision rather than when you are in the situation) I can see how I was in the will of God, maybe not ever single action I took was the will but I feel that God helped to re-direct me when I would fall to the wayside and help me get back in the right direction, maybe I had to take a different route than what he originally had planned but ulimately I got where I needed to go.

I know this probably doesn't make sense to anyone else but it is just how I look at it.

QE,
I think that sometimes we say we were out of the Will of God, but now I'm seeing that many times mistakes are what makes us a better person and clears out the cobwebs we have carried around. It's a refining process.

Really, I'm starting to believe that many times our judgment of people's trials make them harder than realizing they may have needed to go through that to break something in their life and go on with God - making them a useful vessel.

I saw myself being harder on my daughter when she was a teenager because the church expected perfection. I should have loved her more and allowed her to make those mistakes, not that I agreed, but there are some people that have to make them in order to know what it is they don't want.. She may have come out of them sooner.

[Pressing-On]

PO.......what a wonderful testimony! Thanks so much for posting.

If we could only learn to 'stand still, and let God'......how much better off we would be.

Nine years.......now that was a long time to hold your 'peace'!

God is faithful........

Sister,
I confess to you that I didn't always hold it with some people. I did try to defend our decision - with some. It only made things more confusing.

I would pray, "God, why do you let these people do this to us? Why won't you do something!!!!!"

He spoke to me, "I cannot execute my wrath speedily."

Wow, that means he won't do that to me either! Thank the Lord!!!! lol!

At one point during that time our daughter was causing us the worst trouble!!! A lady said, "Well, THEY have good children." Implying that we had to be wrong because our family was going through so much. Now, that is tough! Let me tell you!

I have tears in a bottle!!! lol!

[QueenEsther]

Sister,
I confess to you that I didn't always hold it with some people. I did try to defend our decision - with some. It only made things more confusing.

I would pray, "God, why do you let these people do this to us? Why won't you do something!!!!!"

He spoke to me, "I cannot execute my wrath speedily."

Wow, that means he won't do that to me either! Thank the Lord!!!! lol!

At one point during that time our daughter was causing us the worst trouble!!! A lady said, "Well, THEY have good children." Implying that we had to be wrong because our family was going through so much. Now, that is tough! Let me tell you!

I have tears in a bottle!!! lol!

PO you remind me so much of my mother, I bet you two would get along great!!!

It seems like our family - especially my parents have been going through a storm for the past 6-7 years and as soon as it looks like it getting better something else comes up. But you would never know it by talking to them.

[Pressing-On]

PO you remind me so much of my mother, I bet you two would get along great!!!

It seems like our family - especially my parents have been going through a storm for the past 6-7 years and as soon as it looks like it getting better something else comes up. But you would never know it by talking to them.
When you find your peace in prayer - its carries you! I will keep them in my prayers, QE!

[revrandy]

To me sometimes the Will of God is simple it's the Way or how to get there that is hard sometimes...

[Esther]

I agree with CS post.

When it involves anyone else being a part of the will of God, they have a free will and if they refuse to obey God, He will NOT make them. He will give them ample opportunity to do His will, but He never forces them.

I wonder how many ministers that knew it was God's will for them to pastor a certain church, but the church did not vote them in?

How many young men, women KNEW they had the call of God on them and their pastors refuse to let them go?

How many parents knew that God had a call of their child, but their child refuse to accept it?

We can only do what WE know to be right and leave it in God's hands. He will honor your willingness to do His will and IF the hinderances are not removed He will go around them and make another door to open for you.

But you still have to be willing to do His will regardless of how it seems to be going.