Will...
Choose this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15)
It is an act of the will. The will lacks inability. Our will lacks a historical commentary about “why we are the way we are”.
There is simply an act of will. Those things we choose, and those things we do not. In choosing Him, we un-choose us. In choosing Him, we deny there is an “us” that is in any way separate from the union of Christ and us...Christ in us. In choosing Him, we reject that we have flesh, or a sin nature, or disobedience in living our lives. When we see ourselves united with Him, we abide in Him (Christ) who abides in the Father.
Some of us are ruled by our emotions - what we feel is true. Others are ruled by their mind – what they know is true. Yet, both lack and can be in error. It is only when we are ruled by our will to choose Him – His truth’s – His word – what He says about us, others and Himself – only from the will do we continue to strive upward and inward in His truth. Only when ruled by the will can we ever experience Him fully. Only in our determination via the empowering of the Holy Spirit do we get to see the majesty of the Lord and the beauty of our being.
He tells us to “will”. “Set your mind on things above” (Col 3:2). “Keep my commands and remain in my love” (John 15:10). “Anyone who hears these words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on the rock”. “Whoever looks at the perfect law, the law of liberty and abides in it, not having become a forgetful hearer, but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what He does” (James 1:25). “The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in Him. We know that He abides in us by the Spirit whom He has given to us” (1 John 3:24). “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6).
This is not a work.
“Will” happens before any outward manifestation. We will to walk before our little legs are able. We will to love others even as we struggle to love them. We will to believe even as we struggle in unbelief. We may will rightly but our lives may still look messy.
Those things we will to do may not even make it into our daily living. Yet, we “will” His will. We desire the things of God. We long for the manifestation of His life within. Of course we do, for He is our life. Behaviors may falter. We may have good days and bad days in our execution of our will. How many have hoped to please another only to find that it wasn’t well received? We don’t judge ourselves for a bad outcome there, we know the desire of our heart was good even if the outcome lacked. We are much harder on ourselves when it is a faith-failure.
The grace of the Christ-life is that we have a new heart. We will to do the things of God naturally, because we are one with Him. His desires are ours. We "have the mind of Christ (1Cor 2:16). We are growing in our ability to see Him manifest.
Not every “will” will be seen in our lives perfectly executed. It is a journey. He is not in the destination. Rather, He is in the journey with us, and He loves it, and He encourages us – don’t look at the ‘manifestation’, focus on your will. Your desire for the things of God. Your will reveals your heart and your heart reveals His, for you are “hid in Christ”. Therein is the beauty of the journey. Rest. Be assured.
Fruit happens.
Choose this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15)
It is an act of the will. The will lacks inability. Our will lacks a historical commentary about “why we are the way we are”.
There is simply an act of will. Those things we choose, and those things we do not. In choosing Him, we un-choose us. In choosing Him, we deny there is an “us” that is in any way separate from the union of Christ and us...Christ in us. In choosing Him, we reject that we have flesh, or a sin nature, or disobedience in living our lives. When we see ourselves united with Him, we abide in Him (Christ) who abides in the Father.
Some of us are ruled by our emotions - what we feel is true. Others are ruled by their mind – what they know is true. Yet, both lack and can be in error. It is only when we are ruled by our will to choose Him – His truth’s – His word – what He says about us, others and Himself – only from the will do we continue to strive upward and inward in His truth. Only when ruled by the will can we ever experience Him fully. Only in our determination via the empowering of the Holy Spirit do we get to see the majesty of the Lord and the beauty of our being.
He tells us to “will”. “Set your mind on things above” (Col 3:2). “Keep my commands and remain in my love” (John 15:10). “Anyone who hears these words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on the rock”. “Whoever looks at the perfect law, the law of liberty and abides in it, not having become a forgetful hearer, but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what He does” (James 1:25). “The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in Him. We know that He abides in us by the Spirit whom He has given to us” (1 John 3:24). “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6).
This is not a work.
“Will” happens before any outward manifestation. We will to walk before our little legs are able. We will to love others even as we struggle to love them. We will to believe even as we struggle in unbelief. We may will rightly but our lives may still look messy.
Those things we will to do may not even make it into our daily living. Yet, we “will” His will. We desire the things of God. We long for the manifestation of His life within. Of course we do, for He is our life. Behaviors may falter. We may have good days and bad days in our execution of our will. How many have hoped to please another only to find that it wasn’t well received? We don’t judge ourselves for a bad outcome there, we know the desire of our heart was good even if the outcome lacked. We are much harder on ourselves when it is a faith-failure.
The grace of the Christ-life is that we have a new heart. We will to do the things of God naturally, because we are one with Him. His desires are ours. We "have the mind of Christ (1Cor 2:16). We are growing in our ability to see Him manifest.
Not every “will” will be seen in our lives perfectly executed. It is a journey. He is not in the destination. Rather, He is in the journey with us, and He loves it, and He encourages us – don’t look at the ‘manifestation’, focus on your will. Your desire for the things of God. Your will reveals your heart and your heart reveals His, for you are “hid in Christ”. Therein is the beauty of the journey. Rest. Be assured.
Fruit happens.
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