So many times we all ask ourselves, "What is God's will for me?", "How do I know what to do?", "Who can I call or text or email or tweet that will have a word for me from God?"
Today in my reading I stumbled on what I see as a very clear instructional for putting ourselves in line with God's will. It's actually pretty simple, and very clear, no need for a Doctorate in Theology to understand what Paul's saying in these few lines. In fact, in my Bible the subtitle for the text is Final Instructions, the editor wanted to make sure the reader fully understood the importance of these words.
Are you curious? Ready to be astounded at my Spirituality? Hold onto your hats and prepare to be amazed!!
Here's the list:
1 Respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord (Pastors, Teachers, etc.) and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.
2 Live in peace with each other
3 Warn those who are idle
4 Encourage the timid
5 Help the weak
6 Be patient with everyone
7 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong
8 Always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else
9 Be joyful always
10 Pray continually
11 Give thanks in all circumstances
For this is God's WILL for you in Christ Jesus
Also
Do not put out the Spirit's fire
Do not treat prophecies with contempt
Test everything
Hold on to the good
Avoid every kind of evil
And then at the end of the Final Instructions, Paul sends out a blessing to the reader.
May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it! 1st Thessalonians 5:12-24
That's better than any Irish Blessing I've ever heard!!
We always think we have to do do do, and there it is, God will Sanctify us, He will do it. There's a total of 16 things listed here for us to do and knowing we can't do it without Him, Paul tells us the One who calls us will do it, He will sanctify us.
To me that's so freeing, realizing my to do list has been given, and as long as I hide myself under the Rock that is higher that I, He will do it. He will lead and guide me and put in me the fire of the Spirit to direct my path.
What an awesome God we serve. He gives us our orders and knowing we can't, on our own, accomplish the list, He let's us step into Him and He does it. That's His will for us, to be Inside Him resting, waiting, standing, praising, loving, listening, the list goes on and on.
Bottom line, crawl up in His lap, settle down in His arms and let Him bring about His will for you. He will do it!
Blessings,
Wendy
Princess, Daughter of the King of Kings
Mother of Princesses and Princes
Grandmother of Royalty
