July 17, 2023
Joe Brockinton ’74
Retired
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
As a sophomore, I heard Dr. Kinlaw say something like, “If you are truly willing to do the will of God, it is virtually impossible to miss it.” I recall thinking, “that’s easy for you to say. You’ve lived a long time.” His comment, however, surfaced in my mind time and time again over the years. Why does it seem so difficult to believe that we can discern God’s will?
We often believe we know the best path for our lives and strike off in that direction without exploring where God may be leading us. Romans 12:1 actually establishes the criteria for discovering God’s will – presenting ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice. The essence of discerning God’s will seems to boil down to three actions on our part: surrender, trust, and obedience.
When we surrender our will, desires, ambitions, dreams, goals and agenda to Jesus, we place ourselves in a place where He can reveal His will to us. Have you surrendered to Him?
Trust requires us actually to believe that God has our best interest in mind; that the safest place is in the center of His will; and that He will provide whatever we need to accomplish His will. Do you trust Him?
At the heart of discerning God’s will is our willingness to obey. First of all, are you obeying the things that are clear in scripture? If we choose to ignore things that are clearly defined as God’s will, then why should we expect that He will reveal His specific will to us? As we walk in the light the Word offers, He provides the light for the next step but often He waits for us to move in what we know. Are you willing to obey?
Are you ready to surrender, trust and obey?