Willing (Jn. 15)

We make things so much more complicated than they need to be. We are humans, dwelling in frail bodies made of flesh, full of sinful desires, absorbed by the cares of the world around us and our own fears. We need Jesus as we struggle to walk out His will for us. And we often question that will, in reality seeking our own way instead of His.

During the course of my reading in the Word the last few weeks, God has taken me in several directions as I finished up several books I’ve been in the process of reading, but they’ve all led back to the same place. As I read and studied in 1 Timothy a few weeks ago, I made notes about being in God’s will, and today’s reading in John 15 (where I keep coming back to) led me right back to what I’ve been pondering from my reading in Timothy. Let me try to explain.

People often think God’s will is a nebulous thing. It is something we grasp for, aching to know that we are acting in obedience to Him, not wanting to be out of fellowship or favor. As I read in 1 Timothy 4:1-12 and 5:14-22, I was reminded that God’s will for me is simpler than I make it, it is for me to be sanctified (set apart) for Him, to serve Him. His will is for me to be conformed to the image of Christ. His will is for me to be holy, as He is holy.

My husband often asks people who are searching for God’s will certain questions: “How will this (fill in the blank with a specific situation, job, opportunity, etc.) bring about (or help to bring about) your sanctification and further His kingdom?” or “How is this (or even will this) conform you to the image of Christ?”

That usually stumps people at first, me included. It definitely redirects the thought process back towards the idea of sanctification. We have been set apart for Him, but we often forget and need reminding. If anything we are looking at or leaning towards won’t help us to be conformed to the image of Christ or further His kingdom, it is not God’s will for my life. Period. 

I know that impurity is never the will of God for my life. Building the body always is. Serving Him, loving others (excel still more), not losing sight of the hope of my salvation . . . whatever comes my way, my course should never deviate from a consistent walk toward Him, eyes fixed, longing for His glorious appearing. 

So this is what I am attempting to do—living at peace with all men, admonishing the unruly or careless in my life, encouraging the fainthearted around me, helping those who are weak, exercising patience with all men (tough stuff!), seeking everyone’s good, rejoicing, praying (without ceasing because the minute I slack off or lose focus things rapidly fall apart), being thankful (not considering my circumstances when I consider God’s precious gifts to me), not quenching the Spirit or despising God’s Word, examining everything carefully, holding on to the good, abstaining from every form of evil . . . 

This is hard stuff! It is what I’ve been chewing on for weeks. And today, God pulled me back to these thoughts from Timothy when I finished reading John by ending where I began last week (Chapter 15). Abiding in Christ. Seeking His will.

John 15:7-8 say this: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” 

This is His will for me, to abide (continuing in my “set apartness”), to bear fruit, and to glorify Him, proving I am His disciple. 

Jesus commands not only that I abide but also that I ask (v. 7-8). This makes me wonder why I would ever think to set out to DO anything without absolutely knowing it is in His will, without this asking He commands of me. If I am abiding, I am dwelling with Him, and I am burying His teaching in my heart, and I know that I can do nothing without Him (v. 5). There is nothing this world holds that is more important than bearing fruit for Jesus, so why would I keep on seeking things outside of this, the worldly, elemental things that have no eternal value? 

And I am back to where I started . . . why do I struggle with His will? I struggle because often I am dwelling in the flesh rather than walking in the Spirit. I struggle because I am human, an alien walking through this world that is not to be my permanent home. But God is merciful, and He has made me clean through His Word (Jn. 15:3), and even though His Word has made me clean, I struggle; but when I struggle, He washes my feet, cleanses me, disciplines me, prunes me, because I need to be completely clean (John 13:10).  And this leads to abiding in Him, in His will, in His love.

In John 15, Jesus commands His disciples to abide in His love (v. 9) and then goes on to explain in the next verse that keeping His commandments IS abiding in His love (and following His own example). Jesus explains that all this abiding in His love leads to joy (v. 11). 

Abiding in Jesus’ love is His will for my life, and it is a good thing, not scary but joyful, not complicated but simple. So I am going to pursue love (as Paul commends in I Cor. 14:1), because it is the greatest (I Cor. 13:13), and I know that in doing so I will find my joy.