Our Will & Our Lives
Step 3 -“Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”
This is where Step 2 becomes action (works), belief in the Lord alone isn’t going to cut it. After all, even Satan believes. If we really decide to turn our will and our lives over to God then our actions (works) should show it.
Naturally man is self centered, carnal, spiritually lazy and there are arguments between philosophers where or not we are naturally good or evil. We don’t want to give our will away to anyone and let them make our decisions, decide our fate. We like to be independent, knowing we did it on our own, we got us where we are today (that may be good or bad, where are you today?).
The philosophical theologian, Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), believed natural man is an enemy to God. He wrote, “The language of their (men) hearts is, “What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him?” Job 21:15. They count him worthy neither to be loved nor feared. They dare not behave with that slight and disregard towards one of their fellow-creatures, when a little raised above them in power and authority, as they dare, and do, towards God. They value one of their equals much more than God, and are ten times more afraid of offending such, than of displeasing the God that made them. They cast such exceeding contempt on God, as to prefer every vile lust before him. And every worldly enjoyment is set higher in their esteem than God. A morsel of meat, or a few pence of worldly gain, is preferred before him. God is set last and lowest in the esteem of natural men.” He is pretty much on the money and God is fully aware of all this.
We have all heard, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Stop and think about that. Can we even comprehend giving up one of our children for another?
The Inspired Version of the Bible tells us in Genesis, “Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him; and also that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten I caused that he should be cast down; and he became Satan.” Knowing that part of the reason Lucifer was cast out and became Satan was because he wanted to take away man’s agency (free will) tells us how important our agency is to God.
If us having free will is that important to God imagine how it pleases him when we turn our will over to him. When we seek his care and guidance. When we CHOOSE him. Imagine the many ways he can bless us and would like nothing more if we would only seek him with the faith of a mustard seed. By the way, know how small those are??
Mark 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Since God is good, only good can come from turning our will and lives over to him.
Thank you Mary for your heartfelt post. May the Lord give you the faith to go forward in your journey, in His strength.
Kathleen
Thank you so much, Kathleen!
This is very well put.
I believe you have great understanding answer me this I’m making changes in life leaving behind that which Isn’t good for me this means lots of people like toxic family etc and fear being left alone it feels like I might wake up and be stranded on a lonely island staring at a big wide empty space. This terrify me what do you say
I have had to cut ties with toxic people before, or those that created problems for me. My life is much more peaceful now. Being alone isn’t what I worried about, truly being able to forgive them was for we are required to do so by God.