Aligning Yourself With God's WillSample

Reaching a Sacred Pace in Real Life

Aligning your will with God plays out in some of the everyday decisions of marriage, parenting, work, stewardship, and ministry. When looking at marriage, whatever your situation, some of the principles can also help you in your other closest relationships. To get on a sacred pace means you honor your spouse. Your spouse is one of the gifts God has given you to help you choose and live wisely. So when you and your spouse finish gathering the facts, consult your Friend Jesus and note any circumstances. Then you can see if you independently come to a peaceful joint agreement. Until you reach that point, keep talking and praying. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you listen to each other, not react, so your lines of communication stay open. When you do come to a point of agreement, the moment of decision is sweeter because you two are in agreement with the Lord.

It is also important to get neutral in your parenting. With the facts in hand, and with time consulting the Lord and godly mentors, you can have peace making decisions that may be life-changing for your children and family. This allows you to be less reactive and more proactive in your parenting. It models for you kids the process of seeking God’s will in their decisions, and gives them the opportunity to experience joy in His answers. 

Reaching a sacred pace at work means people become the most critical assets. The Lord will honor your desire to honor people. Conflict can be handled in the proper spirit because authentic communication is present. Invite the Holy Spirit to be present in every work situation and relationship, and pray for each person. You also need to balance your job with your life beyond the job—and extend those opportunities to others as you are able. Take steps to preserve a margin for yourself on all fronts—emotionally, spiritually, mentally, physically—so you can thrive.

Functioning according to God’s pace gives you the freedom to give to ministry with joy and reduce the grip of greed. God blesses you when you give—often financially, but also with other riches such as righteousness, mercy, comfort, perseverence, and peace (see Matthew 5). Slow down and prayerfully bring your financial decisions before God. Ask the Lord if you should give of your time to the places He leads you to give financially. God sees the future and He knows best, so keep bringing Him your plans for giving and patiently seek His will. 

In your quest to trust God instead of yourself, constantly seek to surrender your will to His. It is very hard to fully offer up your desires to God, but you must do so if you want to put Jesus in the driver’s seat and heed God’s answers. This opens you up to a life overflowing with God’s wisdom and grace. It may not be painless, but God is good, and you will learn His will if you slow down and surrender your earthly desires to Him. When you look to the Lord and trust His timing, you receive not just His decisions and His desires, but your heart’s desires. Most of all, you get more of Him—and He never, ever disappoints.

Respond

In what areas of day to day life do you want to better align your will to God’s?

What does it mean to you to put Jesus in the driver’s seat?

How have your heart’s desires changed as you have surrendered them to God?