If you have been following along we’ve been searching out how to be led by the spirit in our entire being. Spirit, soul and body. Our soul is made of our mind, will, and emotions. Last week we looked at how to be led of the spirit in our mind, i.e. our thoughts. Today we are moving on to our will; what it is and how we know if our spirit is leading over it.
Our Will
Our will is the ability to choose, to say yes to something or to say no to something. Every single one of us has been given this incredible gift from God, the power to choose. It is our will that empowers us to make choices every single day, and it is all these small choices that move us forward in our lives. The direction we go is dependent on the choices we make.
The question then becomes, are the choices we make led by the spirit? What is the motivation behind our choices? It’s wise to look at what will be the fruit of the choice I am making. From the beginning of anything worthwhile, start with the end in mind.
Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.
Edward Whymper
I have found in my own life there are times when I am so focused on what I want, running after what I think I need, that I completely lose sight of God’s will. How exactly does this happen? Someone recently told me to be aware of changing my wants into needs. Doing so will cause me to desperately pursue that which I have mislabelled as a need. The things we need to live are very different than things we want, and when wants become needs I will do whatever it takes to get my needs met, which often includes not being led by the spirit.
Are there areas in your life where you have stopped listening to God’s opinion because you are desperately working on making it happen all by yourself? Ambition is a great thing when led by the spirit, but who would you say your your ambitions are currently being led by? You or God?
It’s Not a Bad Thing
It is important to remember our will is not a bad thing. It is a beautiful gift God has given us, the free will to choose. It is vital we understand the power we have in our will, in our choices, and equally important to understand that we can give up that power. When we don’t believe we have the power to make changes in our lives we can take on the role of a victim. The Holy Spirit within us is here to lead us and guide us into all truth, into the goodness God has for us. The moment we believe there is an outside power greater than the Holy Spirit in us is when we will feel like a victim. Like we have no choice.
I understand that in this broken world people can come against us and hurt us against our will, and this is terrible and tragic. In that place we still have a choice to decide what we will do with what happens to us. When something bad happens do you blame outside sources coming against you and let that choice shut you down? Or are you able to ask God what His will is for you, and how He is calling you to move through what has happened to you?
Vows Aren’t Just for Weddings
Another area where we can tend to get stuck is the area of vows. When we get hurt or go through a hard or even traumatic situation there can be a temptation to move into a place of self protection. One of the ways we do this is by making vows, “I will never let that happen to me again” or “I will never be like my father.” What may seem like a good idea, not becoming like someone who may of been immoral or hurt you, becomes a problem. Instead of relying on the Holy Spirit for help, we try to fix things in our own efforts by our own will, and it is only God’s power that can change us. Our journey to healing must be led by the spirit.
Your will, your ability to make good choices little by little bit by bit matter. This is what makes up the journey your life takes. Let’s ask God to show us how to align our will with His. And celebrate all the little wins along the way. What will you choose to set your will on today?
Did You Miss Our Other Posts?
Hi there! This post is part of our current series on our three part being; Spirit Soul Body. We’re spending nine weeks focusing on what makes up the complete package called “us.” In case you missed them, here’s a handy reference of all the posts in this series.