Psalm 45:9 – Kings' daughters are among your noble women. At your right side stands the queen, wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir! (NLT)

Being told to submit wasn't as easy as the process itself.

Like most children, I chafed at times under my parents' authority. As a child, I accepted that they were always right. As I got older, I questioned some of their rules and regulations. Dad was a preacher, but how did that relate to my being forced to go to church? There were occasions when I was convinced that my parents were wrong, yet they never apologized when I brought it to their attention. During my period of rebellion and questioning, I tired of hearing, "As long as your feet are under my table, you'll do as I say." Though the hippie within me often rose up, I accepted their will until I moved out.

The Bible is filled with stories of individuals who willingly or unwillingly accepted God's will. God told Noah to build a large boat, and he did. He told Abraham to leave his hometown, and he did. He commanded Jonah to preach to the Ninevites, but he ran, and then later he did as commanded. He instructed Samuel to anoint David as the next king of Israel, and he did. Now David was that king because he accepted God's will.

That some choose to rebel against God's will enforces what the Bible teaches. God has given me free will. He is sovereign and has decreed that certain things will happen, but in some unexplainable way, I still have the freedom to make choices that take me away from His plan.

Though God will let me refuse His will, He encourages me to accept it. His will is best. Choosing Him over Satan is wise, as is choosing heaven over hell. Choosing the abundant life that He offers is better than choosing the temporary pleasures of sinful activities. As His child, when I choose to depart from His will, He sends conviction along with discipline. For Jonah, it was three days inside the stomach of a large fish.

Accepting God's will takes intentionality on my part. My sinful, fleshly nature prompts me to go the other way. God's will often takes me away from the comfortable and familiar, as it did for Abraham and Moses. Yet, it's better to be uncomfortable and anxious and be in God's will than to remain where I am and miss His blessings.

When we discover God's will for our lives, let's accept it and leave the consequences to God.

Prayer: Father, make Your will known to us, and then give us the courage to accept it. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
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