When it comes to the will of God, I find three things perfectly clear. The first is found in Romans 8:29: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.” God will use everything in our lives to move us closer to His goal to make us like Jesus.
The second thing I know is something my former Pastor used to say all the time: it is easier to turn a moving ship than one docked in the harbor.
Acts 16:6-10: “Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
Paul was a moving ship. He was headed toward Asia, and God turned him around and sent the Gospel back toward Europe. He was heading to Bithynia, but Jesus stopped him and sent him instead to Macedonia, and the Gospel came to Greece.
Paul was moving. It’s easy to turn someone who’s moving. It is harder to turn someone who’s standing still, because first you must get them moving! I firmly believe that God will not spurn a willing heart. God will use anyone whose heart is set on being used of Him.
What if we’ve made a mistake, or got entangled in a sin and had to repent, or failed at something God gave us to do before? Does that disqualify us from God’s “good, pleasing and perfect will?”
If so, then it disqualified Moses and David and Paul and Peter and multitudes of saints down through the ages. Moses murdered a man, David committed adultery and murdered to cover his sin, Paul persecuted the church and Peter denied Christ, yet God used each one and many others in a mighty way after they repented and returned to the Savior of their souls.
God will not spurn a willing heart. Get moving! If you’re heading the wrong direction toward Asia, God will keep you from entering and turn you back to Europe. It’s easy as long as you’re moving!
