Are You Throwing a Fit?

Are you trying to fit God's will into your life,

or

Are you allowing God's will to be your life?

So, for starters, I vacillated between posting a picture of a puzzle and a photo of someone throwing a fit, because both are good illustrations for today's topic. I must have a picture somewhere of me throwing a fit, because to be honest, it is a regular occurrence. If not externally, then internally, because acting upon God's will is not always the easiest thing to do. With that said, let's be real: acting on God's Will, desiring it above all else, may not be the easiest, but it is always the best thing to do. Even, and especially, if it makes us want to throw a fit.

So, go ahead and throw a fit. But then, be about your Father's business.

God doesn't mind us being honest with Him! In fact, he prefers it. We might put on a face to the world that we have it all together, but God knows the condition of our insides. And He knows where we struggle. So, be honest with God. Then allow Him to draw you into His will.

• For starters, continue to allow God to heal those broken places (Psalm 34:18).

• Allow Him to take you wherever He wants to take you, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Allow Him access to your whole self: heart, soul, and mind. This is, in fact, spiritual worship (Matthew 22:37; Romans 12:1-2).

• He wills to bless you beyond measure as you walk according to His Word and trust Him at every turn (Ephesians 3:20; Genesis 15:6).

• Don't side-step God's plan by stepping into your plans, for in due season, if you stay the course, you will reap a bountiful harvest (Galatians 6:9). Just before Paul told the Galatians, "Do not lose heart," he explained that "those who live only by satisfying their own sinful nature will reap decay and death from that nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit" (Galatians 6:8).

Consider the Question:

If I desire to please the Spirit and do God's will, and there is a fork in the road, how do I know which way to go? How do I know if each choice seems positive and good, and pleasing to the Lord, which one to choose?

Consider the Answer:

We are to be faithful in the small things and the big things. In 1 Peter 2:5, we are called "living stones," as opposed to senseless materials. We are to be a sacrifice that lives (Hodge). We are to be a living or perpetual sacrifice, never to be neglected or recalled (Hodge). So, it appears to me that if we are devoting ourselves to the work of Christ, and His standing orders to go and make disciples, and we are committing our whole selves to the task, then we are indeed walking in the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2).

When I ask myself what to do next, my answer needs to encompass all that He has given me in the moment.

I attended a wedding this past weekend and tried to avoid being photographed, as well as avoiding interacting with others. God doesn't want me to shy away from others because I'm uncomfortable with my physical body. He wants me to do what I can with what He has provided in the moment. He wants me to live to please the Spirit which dwells in me.

As I look around me and consider what the Lord is providing in the moment, I see books upon books upon books, and a desire to share from those resources. Perhaps the answer to my burning question is staring me in the face. While I disciple at Bethel Colony of Mercy, Vessels of Mercy, Capstone, and Hope House, I have the opportunity to design and create resources, making them available to others, which will, in fact, glorify God and draw others to Him. And as I create, I can focus on strengthening my body. Taking care of my physical body enables me to think more clearly and move more easily, thus continuing to prepare me for future endeavors that the Lord has already prepared for me to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). God gave me this body; I should keep it in excellent working order, inside and out.

Am I throwing a fit? I did. I did not want to attend that wedding, nor did I want to go to Bethel Colony’s annual homecoming, for external reasons. But I wanted to go to celebrate with those I love. So, I went. But I hid. I did not fellowship. Therefore, doing God's will becomes a matter of fitness for me. That is putting the missing puzzle piece in its proper place.

So, to those of you who struggle with anything similar, let's get in shape, shall we? Using all that has been provided in the moment, let us exercise, eat right, live according to God's Word, minister to others, write, and create – all to our heart's content - and all the while we shall be doing His will by presenting our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, not conforming to this world but being transformed by the renewing of our mind [loving Jesus Christ and His Word with everyone ounce of our being, and loving others through our relationship with Him], for this is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1-2).

Your turn -

Are you allowing God’s will to be your life according to how He has provided in this moment, or are you trying to fit your will into God’s plan?

Don’t veer off - don’t overcomplicate things - don't compromise.

Take care of that which is in front of you while keeping your eyes on Jesus Christ. Something beautiful is coming out of it!

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1-Charles Hodge, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, New Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Louis Kregel, 1882), 604.