Seeking God’s Perfect Will

Dear Family and Friends,

God has compelled me to remind us all of our free will in Christ. God could have made the tree of knowledge completely inaccessible so as to control Adam and Eve’s choices. But God did not. Sometimes when we pray for things that we believe are good, we want to believe that our will aligns with God’s perfect will. Family and friends, no matter how “good” our intentions, we can still get in the way of God’s will. We can cause ourselves and others to suffer, we can delay God’s plans for our lives, our communities and our institutions. This is why we must always seek to discern God’s will. This is more easily said than done. Discernment involves more than prayer. Most importantly, it involves a true, authentic desire for God’s will and a commitment to following it, especially when it does not match our personal will.

As I pondered this message, I was led to this passage of scripture:

James 1:12-26 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 14 But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.

17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.

Let us not fall prey to temptation based on what we think we know is good or best. Let us be truly open to God’s will.

Seeking peace and God’s perfect will,
Rev. Ineda P. Adesanya