Clarity

Do you often feel confused about what God wants? Do you even resist what you think might be his expectations? Are you conflicted, wanting to follow God yet not sure you’ll be happy where he leads? Sometimes this lack of clarity is the result of a distorted or inadequate view of God. You may have been taught or just assumed that God wants certain things. How can you know for certain what God requires?

There is no shortcut to knowing God’s will; it takes time. In one sense, God is like any other person; the more time you spend with him, the more you understand him. Some people spend virtually no time at all getting to know God. They may even ignore what little they know of God’s law. Yet when they face major life decisions, they toss up quick prayers, asking and expecting God to lead and protect them. This strategy will not work consistently. A better strategy is to pursue an ongoing relationship with God, reading and studying the Bible, asking God for wisdom and courage, and doing your best to walk in his ways. When the time comes for a major life decision, you’ll be far more likely to make a wise one. You’ll instinctively know what God expects because you will know God.

God wants you to know him as your Creator. He made you for a purpose and longs for you to discover that purpose. He knows that life will be truly satisfying for you when you live out that purpose. He has given you personality, talents, and abilities. He does not desire that these gifts be wasted. Instead, he wants you to use them for their maximum capacity for good. When you do this, God receives glory.

God wants you to know him as your Savior. Many people use their God-given gifts for selfish or destructive ends. In fact, if we’re honest, we all would admit that we have this tendency. Yet God desires to save us from this tendency and to empower us to use our gifts for good.

How can you “use your gifts for good” this week?

~John