How do I know God's will for my life?

There are many questions that burn deep within the human heart:

• Why did Alex Trebek shave off his mustache?
• Why is Ron Artest changing his name to “Metta World Peace”?
• When did Cookie Monster start referring to cookies as “a sometime snack”?
• Will they let you play in the NBA when your last name is “Peace”?
• Is that Malcolm in the Middle running for office?
• Really?
• Isn’t he like, 12?
• Wow, he’s 25? Does that make me officially old?

Ok, maybe these are just the burning questions in my heart.

 

My early ministry was spent in youth ministry, and the last 5 years I have devoted to 20-somethings. In that time, the #1 question people want to know is: How do I know God’s will for my life?

 

There are many ways to go about answering this question. Here are a few starting points:

1. Just do it. Sometimes jumping in is the best remedy for lack of direction. Worry less about what exactly does God want you to do, and follow his general will. Follow biblical concepts like “do unto others” and “put others before yourself,” and see how it works for you. You may find that a path for your life gets clearer and clearer. (Read Romans 12:1-2.)
2. Be who you are. Find out what you are good at, and do something for God with your strength. Everyone is wired for something. Adele has a beautiful singing voice. Dirk Nowitzki has a beautiful jumper. Bob Ross painted beautiful trees that could “pop up” just about anywhere. If you don’t know what you are good at, ask some people who know you well. God has promised spiritual abilities to all of his followers.
3. Ask Him. The Bibles says that “we don’t have because we don’t ask.” Whenever I find myself stuck in life, I realize it’s because I haven’t prayed. It’s amazing how God reveals his will to us when we pray. His direction is not always instant, but it comes with time and patience.

If God’s will for your life feels unknown, that’s because it is. But take heart, there are steps you can take to have clarity. You may never have the full picture of your life until that day when you look back on it and see the pathway that has led you to him.

The True Grit of the Father

One of the best movies of last year was True Grit. In the climax of the film, Mattie Ross is bitten by a snake and is going to die. She calls out for help and Marshall Rooster Cogburn responds quickly and determines to save her. He gets her on their beloved horse and drives all night through the desert sands. The horse is so fatigued that he begins to slow down, but the Marshall drives him to keep going. Eventually the horse gives out and the Marshall allows the horse to die in order to get closer to the goal of saving Mattie. When the horse gives out, he swoops the girl up into his arms and starts walking. He walks for miles, all through the night. He eventually spots a cabin up ahead, a sign of safety. He falls to his knees. He can’t make it. Firing his gun in the air is all the physical energy that he has left. But it is enough. He saves her. His “true grit” is revealed.

Do you know how much grit the Father has shown to save you?

Forget about a beloved horse, God allowed his beloved son to die in order to rescue us from certain death. When we call out to him, he sweeps us up in his powerful arms, and carries us to safety. He does not hesitate; he responds at once. There is nothing that can stop his relentless love for us.

I can only relate to this kind of love in a very small way as a father.

Last year at Disney World, my 5 year old daughter burned her hand pretty badly in the Minnie Mouse House. (Yes, I know, the irony is not lost on me.) Even though we got her first aid, it was clear that someone was going to have to bring her back to the hotel. She was crying in the way that parents understand as genuine pain. So I got a big cup of ice, and put her up on my shoulders, and determined to carry her back. I looked ridiculous: big cup of ice on my head, kiddo on my shoulders, her hand in the ice. I walked for some time to get to the entrance of the park, only to realize that the nightly parade was starting. I became like a fish swimming upstream. Thousands of people were pushing against us to get to the parade. I began yelling out: “Hurt kid, I need to get through!” It didn’t help. They kept on pushing. Eventually I got through, only to wait another half hour for a bus—kid and ice still on my head.

I remember feeling like I would have walked all night if that’s what it took to get her back to safety.

But that’s simply how any human father feels for his kids.

Now imagine what the heavenly Father feels for his kids.

There…are…no…words.

Another post on how a father feels HERE
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How I knew she was the one

Today marks my wedding anniversary.

I met my wife at college. When I saw her, some swooning orchestral music began to play and angels danced. The room turned bright pink and started to spin around whilst cupids shot their tiny bows in my direction. (Notice how smoothly I dropped a KJV bomb in that last sentence--whilst).

Nah, actually it wasn’t like that at all. Here’s what really happened:

We were at a retreat and she caught my eye. So I did what every good Christian playah would do: I figured out where she was sitting and sat my Bible next to her seat. Then, after she sat down, I came in with my most innocent “nice guy” look and sat down next to her (swagger like Mark Wahlberg, innocence of Seth Rogan). I must admit, It was one of my best all time moves. But as soon as I sat down, she grabbed her stuff and moved seats. Ouch! Male ego taken down several notches.

But I wasn’t done yet. I had many other moves. I found out that she needed some help on a creative project, so I offered my assistance. As I colored in nametags with neon colored magic markers, I was sure she was wooed by my sensitive side. Then I pulled out the big guns. I “forgot” my sweater when I left.

Oh yea, that’s how I roll.

I pursued her like this for some time. She was still not as impressed with me, as I was enamored by her. Eventually my insecurity won out and I pressured her into making a “decision” about dating me. I gave her a little slip of paper and it said: “Do you like me? Circle Yes or No.” Well, not quite that bad, but it was that immature.

But I’m so glad she said yes.

I knew within weeks that this was someone that I could marry, and that was the critical difference from the other girls that I had dated. It wasn’t too long before could marry turned to should marry turned to must marry. We dated for about 2 years, got engaged, married, and lived happily ever after. Or something like that.

So how did I know she was the one for me? Well, I just knew. And I can’t imagine my life without her.

Check out this popular post: when should I get married.

Is the devil God's nemesis?

Thanks to Marvel comics, everyone knows that heroes have villains. Not only that, but if he is a really great hero, he needs a really great villain, or a nemesis. The idea behind the nemesis is that in this enemy, the hero has met his match. Yea, yea, we all know that the hero will still save the day in the end. But this is the kind of villain that is his polar opposite. He is equal in power, strength and craftiness. But he is opposite in intentions. He may even have a edge over the hero in some way. As a result, the nemesis is able to deal serious damage. He has the power to change the trajectory of the story line. He is a threat to all humanity.

So, you know, Superman had Lex Luthor; Spiderman had the Green Goblin; Batman had the Joker; Austin Powers had Dr. Evil; Charlie Sheen had Charlie Sheen…the list goes on. All of these archenemies changed the plot of the story. They really interrupted the flow of things. They gave the hero a boatload of grief.

Is the devil God's nemesis?

Nope. Note even close.

The power of God verses the evil of the devil is not a sort of dualistic Yin/Yang thing. The Bible describes God in unequalled terms. His power is unmatched. He is limitless. His essence is infinite. He has no beginning; he has no end. The devil can’t touch him. Like in the book of Job, when the devil wants to do a thing, he has to go and ask God for permission. What kind of wimpy nemesis asks for permission?

I love this part in the end of THE story. In the book of Revelation it tells of how the devil will be thrown into the Abyss. The interesting thing is, God doesn’t even do it himself. It says that God sends an angel to do it for him (Rev. 20:1-2). God doesn’t even get his hands dirty. At most, the devil is the nemesis of an angel, but not of God. He can’t interfere with God’s plan. He does not have the power to change the story line. Heck, there’s not even much tension in the story about who is going to win out in the end.

I’m not suggesting that the devil is weak (relative to humans), or that we should take his evil work lightly (we shouldn’t), or that we shouldn’t be on guard against evil forces. But isn’t it great that we can follow a Hero who is infinitely more powerful than the worst force known on earth? The next time you are feeling fearful, anxious, or oppressed, call out to the Hero—he will save you!

I’m also guest posting today over at @thelazychristian…Check it out!

Mid-Week Madness - King James Bible Only

When I was about 10, I was told I ought to read the Bible. So I set out to read one full page a day out of our family Bible. It was the King James version. It was old, had small print, and smelled like moth balls. I had no idea what I was reading, but it felt, well, biblical. I mean, where else could a kid read words like “smite,” “wherefore,” and “burneth”? With words like these, it doesn’t surprise me that there are many people today who love the KJV so much that they claim it is the only true and “authorized” version of the Bible. Other translations of the Bible, they say, have been corrupted. Recently, I was even criticized for using the NIV in a message at our church. So I have a confession to make. I really don’t like the KJV. There, I said it. And here’s why:

1. It’s not the most accurate translation that we have. The main reason for this is the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947. The good news is, these scrolls showed us how amazingly accurate our translations had been. But now we could make them even better by cross-examining them to these even older manuscripts.
2. It’s so hard to read. It uses words that we just don’t use anymore. God, in his grace and providence, has continued to bring us a readable version of his Word throughout the centuries. One of the reasons for the Reformation was to get away from the Bible being only in the hands of those that could understand it. Unless you’re fond of reading Shakespeare, leave the KJV on the shelf.
3. The NIV is a really good translation! And there are other good ones as well. I like to use the NIV for public speaking, because it is the most widely owned, and it is very accessible. But I like reading my daily devotions from the New Living Translation (NLT) because of its readability. For study, I prefer the New American Standard Bible (NASB), since it is the most “literal” of the translations.
4. Despite what people think, it is not the original Bible. The original was written on manuscripts in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. Trust me, after many years of studying the original Bible languages, you don’t want to. Hebrew, for instance, reads right to left on the page and looks like squiggles. That’s right, I said squiggles. Don’t worry though, our translations are amazingly accurate and true! So choose one you can read and understand, and compare it to others to get a deeper understanding.

Even though I don’t prefer the KJV, I am so glad that God has given each generation, and virtually every language and people group, a Bible that we can read and understand. His Word is still a primary way that he speaks to us today, so we need a form that fits. Perhaps a better question than which translation is: are you reading it every day?

Only listening to "Christian" music

When my family took the plunge into church life, I was in junior high, and one of the first rules was: no more “secular” music. I remember my brother had a hard time with this rule, as he had to rid himself of a pretty hefty collection of classic rock. Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC…all in the garbage. Of course they were on cassette tapes, and as everyone knows, the only proper place for a cassette tape is in the garbage. In their musical place came the fabulous offerings from people like Steve Green, Sandy Patty, Amy Grant, Petra, and my personal fav, Stryper. Ahh Stryper. It made our musical listening quite…(how shall I say?) eclectic. From AC/DC to Amy grant—It was quite a leap.

Somewhere along the way “Christian” music became worth listening to. Bands like Switchfoot and Jars of Clay broke new ground lyrically and musically. The worship movement gave even more reasons to listen. Plus, they dressed better. (I once ran into Chris Tomlin’s band members at a conference and I'm still in awe of their fashion sense. I mean, who else can wear a scarf in the summer?)

But all of this still begs the question: should “Christian” music be the only thing on your playlist? After all, won’t it make you more holy? I mean, aren’t we supposed to keep ourselves separate from “the world?”

Here’s a few reasons why it may be better to balance your listening choices:

1. There’s no such thing as “Christian” music, only “Christian” people. It may be kind of obvious, but things can’t be Christians. Music cannot be, and neither can lyrics. Music can be good or bad based on taste. Lyrics can be good or bad artistically and morally.
2. We need to listen to today’s poets. Unfortunately, not all of them are saying good things, but they tell us about the people we are trying to reach. Paul did this in Athens in order to try to reach the people there (Acts 17:28). Musical artists are today’s poets, and they help us to understand the zeitgeist of our culture.
3. All truth is God’s truth. Another obvious statement, but if it’s true, we should seek truth in many places including books, movies, and songs. Human truth is universal, because God came up with it. Music is often a way to put heart behind those universals.
4. The artistry is going to be better if you look at a broad array of music, rather than just one niche. Please don’t hear this as “secular music is better than Christian music,” but rather as, music is music. There are better and worse forms of it. As a fan of jazz, for example, I would be missing out if I only listened to Christians who happen to play jazz.
5. It will make you appreciate “Christian” music more. Right lyrics coupled with right music can bring us to the throne room of heaven. Not all music can accomplish this, but some forms can better than others.

No matter what kind of music you listen to, the key is that it brings honor and glory to God in your heart, mind and your soul.

Thoughts?

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Steak and Hotdogs (guest post)

Today I have a special guest post from Rachel Snyder over at The Lazy Christian.  She has a fun way of writing blogs about faith including her own struggles.
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When I was 20, my dad helped me buy a car. At the beginning of the process, he told me to look around at cars and see what caught my eye. I hadn’t really looked at cars before, so this sounded like a good idea. After about a week, I decided that the Oldsmobile Alero was the one that had “the look” I liked. I shared this joyous information with my dad in the following fashion:

“Oh, delight! Oh, rapture! Father, I’ve found a car that suits me! The Alero is most pleasing to mine eye!”

I was an English major. I’m sure it sounded exactly like that. My father’s response was as such:

“Rachel, that’s a $30,000 car! You want steak on a hot dog budget!”

Far less eloquent, but I got the point. No Alero. I got a little Saturn, and that thing (Romeo, if you want to know his name) just had its 10th birthday and is still running like new.

Last week while we were on vacation, we had cable. We don’t typically, so I tried to sneak little moments of TLC or HGTV here and there. On some house-hunting show, the host told the couple, “You want champagne on a beer budget.” Same idea! The couple had tastes that were out of their budget, so they were trying to find an inexpensive house they could fix to look expensive.

Then there were other shows where people seemed to have unlimited funds to do whatever crazy things they wanted to their home. A $10,000 chandelier from the 1840s in the bathroom? Sure! Decorative fire pits next to your pool and spa, which are next to your designer outdoor kitchen and living room? Of course! I’ve always wanted to build a house right outside of my existing house.

That’s what happens when you have a steak budget and you actually opt for the steak, I guess.

But all that opulence got me to thinking: What’s my mindset? I don’t want steak on a hot dog budget. I don’t want to live outside my means. But if I had a giant bank account, would I want to spend like crazy? Live in a palatial estate with every convenience possible?

I think I’d feel—greedy.

We’re a one-income family, but we’ve managed to budget so that we feel comfortable. We’re tithing enough, we’re saving enough, we have what we need. But my new goal is to act like I have a steak budget and opt for the hot dog. Be content with just enough. Learn how to be comfortable with less.

Ugh. It’s so counterculture, though. Everyone wants more! Bigger houses that fit more stuff! Bigger cars, too! I need a giant suburban assault vehicle to go to the grocery store! I can’t settle for less! This is the American dream!

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. – 1 John 2:15-17

Then again, if you make it a choice, then you’re not settling. You are actively saying, “This is what I want. This is what I choose. This is how I am called to live, so this is how it’s going to be.”

Easy to say, right? Not quite so easy to do. I think I need to start by never watching HGTV again. And then find ways to choose the hot dogs over the steak.

Any suggestions?



© Rachel Snyder/The Lazy Christian 2011