How do we know when God’s desires have become our desires? Seriously, this is something I pray for regularly. That God would take away the selfish desires I have and replace them with His desires. So that what I want is actually what He wants. I want to do whatever would best bring glory to God. I want to do whatever would best further His kingdom. I want to do whatever He has planned for me to do. But how do I know when that happens? How do I know that the things I want to do are actually the things God wants me to do?
It seems that the answer to that lies in prayer and Bible study. Ironically, the only way to change our desires into His desires is through prayer and Bible study. It all lines up with the idea of abiding in Christ.
Too many times I want to treat God like a gas pump. Show up every once in a while, fill up, then go get things done. When I get empty and need new direction, I’ll return to the pump. I mean, I’m even willing to show up at the pump daily, maybe even a couple of times a day. But it seems like I have things a bit confused.
Maybe God is more like a battery. Imagine trying to run your car without a battery…..it can’t be done. Cars are built to be driven. A car without a battery can’t accomplish its purpose. It just sits there, rusting. God gives us the power to get things done. He gives the energy and direction that enables me to be effective. Without Him in my life, I’m not accomplishing my purpose. And what is our purpose in life? Ultimately, it’s to know God and be known by Him. I also think everyone has an individual purpose, though I’m beginning to think that it might not be as easy to define in a single word or phrase as I had imagined it to be.
Stop reading this mess and go read what Jesus says about all this. He does a much better job than I do.
“Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5 (ESV)
THAT’S what I’ve been trying to say!
Michelle Suarez 