“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:17
“If you know that God loves you, you should never question a directive from Him. It will always be right and best. When He gives you a directive, you are not just to observe it, discuss it, or debate it. You are to obey it.” Henry Blackaby
- Call your prayer partner for your 10-Minute prayer call! God is the one who has the power to work in your heart and the hearts of those you love. Prayer changes everything!
- Good morning sweet sister! God is calling you into His presence this morning. Bow your heart in surrender to Him today. He has a better plan for your life than any you could ever imagine. Follow Him!
- Write James 1:22 in your journal but check out the references throughout the study as well. God’s Word shines truth overall!
Discerning and Obeying the Will of God
We are always searching for God’s will for our lives, aren’t we? So many of us love Him and desperately desire to follow Him. We search and ask God to show us His will, all the while remaining frozen in our places, just seeking. I am beginning to learn that discerning and obeying God’s will for our lives requires only two simple things. First, we must stay intimately close to Him, hidden in His Word and in relationship with Him. Secondly, we must step out and act in the areas in which God prompts through His Word and the whispers of the Holy Spirit.
Sister, I have to tell you that if you are walking close to Jesus day by day, moment by moment, you will not step outside the will of God. If you are nestled closely to Him through studying His Word, through talking to Him and opening your heart to the voice of the Holy Spirit, your desires and motives will align with His and He will lead you one small step at a time. He will direct your path, and if you step off-course, He will redirect you right back to where He wants you to be. When you are intimately close to Him, you need not worry about discerning the will of God; He will reveal it to you!
But true obedience requires that we follow the promptings of the Lord as well. We must act (Matthew 7:21). It is a great deal easier to read our Bible, pray, and promise to follow Jesus wherever He leads than it is to actually take action and do what the Bible says. So many of us know God’s Word, but His Word stops at our ears, never making its way into our hearts and out through our actions. Friends, we must become doers of the Word (James 1:22-25). We are called to let God’s Word soak deep into our heart and to simply obey those words day after day (John 14:15).
I believe that Satan does not mind seeing us read our Bible, even discussing what we have learned with other believers, and then leaving satisfied that we have followed God for the day. What Satan hates is when we actually do what God’s Word instructs us to do! Reading or hearing God’s Word is simply not enough. Our deeds must follow as well (James 2:14-26). How often do you feel convicted, but then walk away and do nothing? We are oftentimes like the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-27, who asked Jesus what is required to inherit eternal life. When Jesus replied that he must give up everything, the ruler could not bring himself to do it. He desired Jesus’ message and felt conviction, but then walked away sad and did nothing.
What God desires for us is to run into His loving arms and actually follow Him in word and in deed. Friends, it is His kindness that leads us to repentance and it is His kindness that will lead to your obedience (Romans 2:4). You can follow Him and trust what He calls you to do because of His unfathomable love for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Take one step toward Him and then another until you are running in the direction of obedience, and what an adventure that will be! When our God-given conviction leads to action, joy and peace are sure to follow (Psalm 37:4).
Let me encourage you today, friend, lean in close to your Savior. Get to know Him through His Word and prayer. Learn about His character; the character He wants us to imitate. Walk in step with Him. Shed the rags of selfish desire and don the heavenly robes of a Christ-follower. And then act; do what the Bible commands, following the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Do not just vow to follow Christ in your heart, but follow by action as well. What a blessing it is to obey our Father.
Blessings and love,
Tara Davis and the Help Club for Moms Team
Questions to Ponder
- How is God directing you today? If you are hearing God whisper, “follow me,” do it! Wake up from your spiritual sleep and follow Him (Ephesians 5:14-17).
Faith-Filled Ideas
Read the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10. Zacchaeus illustrates the wholehearted obedience that the Lord desires of us. When God called Zacchaeus to follow, he jumped into action with a passionate heart of love for the Lord. What is one area of your life in which God has been calling you to step out in obedience, but you have yet to take action? Pray and ask God to forgive you and show you how to follow His will with a heart of obedience this week.
This devotional comes from our book “The Wise Woman Abides.” You can find it HERE!
When you see someone has had a hand in writing a book for moms, you immediately assume they must have it all together. I do not. Maybe you don’t either. But I have some good news for you…we have a perfectly gracious Savior who loves us so very much, imperfections and all!
Together, we can learn who He is and who we are in Him, and together, we can take this one little life He has given us and pour out His love in a way that changes hearts, especially our own!
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4 Comments on “Discerning and Obeying the Will of God”
This was really good
Thanks for reading Payton!
Very awesome
Thanks for being with us Ashley!