“Why is it that you seek only to hear commands, even when your heart is neither prepared nor willing to perform them?” (from Tears from a Lonely God - Chapter One: Seek My Face.)

I believe that doing God’s true work, and fulfilling His divine will requires training. No, not the type of training that is thought of by the world - not in a classroom. The type of training that I’m thinking of is done in real life, and the teacher is God. It is spiritual, though almost all we can think of and see is visible and carnal.

It may be a course in trust, or patience, or love, or mercy, or wisdom; but most of the time, we are unwilling to wait around on God’s timing. Many times we want to rush on ahead, and do things in our own way, on our own time, and for our own glory. So long as it appears as though it is pleasing to God, and so long as we think that it is probably His will, we will be rewarded.

And yet, God has the opposite planned for us. He is seeking to mold and shape each of His children into able ministers to do His work, and to understand His true will. Many times this will require painful lessons, patience, and submission and trust in God’s wisdom.

“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. …Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” -James 4:3, 8-10

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 at 9:18 pm and is filed under Sayings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.