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| Respond to God | Photo Credits |
How do you know God’s perfect will for your life? The
overarching principle to knowing God’s will is to honor God with your response
in whatever happens to you. Often what happens to you is outside your control –
where you are born; who your parents and siblings are; how people treat you;
what happens in your company, etc.
Therefore, whatever is outside your control, leave it to
God, but what is within your control, be responsible. Your response to what
happens to you is your responsibility.
Sadly, many Christians today know the will of God in their
head but don’t experience His best for them because they don’t follow God’s
will. God asks us to surrender our lives to Him.
“Therefore I urge you
brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy
sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And
be not 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.” Romans 12:1-2.
In Genesis 39-50, Joseph is an example of a man who chose to
honor God in his response to all the ups and downs of his life. As Jacob’s
favorite son, he was on top but Jacob’s favoritism caused his half-brothers to
hate him.
At age 17, they plotted to kill him but then sold hum as a
slave instead, a very low point in his life. Potiphar, the Egyptian officer who
bought Joseph as a slave, observed “how the Lord was with Joseph and caused all
that he did to prosper…”, (Genesis 39:3).
He made Joseph overseer over all that he owned, an up point
for Joseph. But when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph and he resisted,
she falsely accused him of trying to take advantage of her. Enraged, Potiphar
had Joseph thrown into the jail where the king’s prisoners were confined, an
even lower point for Joseph.
But, even in prison, Joseph chose to honor God in his
response and thus, “found favor in the sight of the chief jailer who committed
to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners.. because the Lord was with him and
whatever he did, the Lord made to prosper.” (Genesis 39:21-23). While in prison
he interpreted the dreams of two of Pharaoh’s official which led to Pharaoh
requesting Joseph to interpret his dreams.
‘I cannot do it’, Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘but God will
give Pharaoh the answer… Then the Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘since God has made
all these known to you, there is no one discerning and wise as you.. I hereby
put you in charge of all of Egypt.” (Genesis 41: 16, 41).
God used all of Joseph’s experiences to humble him, to train
him and to prepare him to become second in command to Pharaoh in all of Egypt in
order to accomplish His will. The highest point in Joseph’s life, however, was
also the most dangerous time. He could have become proud and revengeful.
And yet instead he chose to humble himself and forgive his
brothers. Because of his intimacy with God, he was able to see God’s purpose in
all he went through. He told his brothers,
“As for you, you meant
evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present
result, to preserve many people alive.” (Genesis 50:20)
When bad things happen to us, we have two choices – to
become bitter or better. Our security is this – God promises to cause all that
happens to us to work out for our good and His purposes, including suffering
from the evil intentions of people.
Ultimately, if we respond to honor Him, we will be in the
center of God’s magnificent and perfect will.
As Joseph, you can’t always control what happens to you, but
in all the steps and stops and ups and downs of your life, remain faithful and
respond to honor God. This will enable you to experience God’s perfect will for
your life.
