THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

In one of his sermons, Pastor Chuck Swindoll warns us, “One of the greatest battles Christians face today is doing God’s will God’s way.” I cannot agree more. We usually have ideas as to how we will or should serve God and do His work. These ideas might not be bad but at the end of the day we must let God decide how He wants us to serve Him and do His work. Simply put we must earnestly ask God not only to reveal His will but also His way to do His will.

We must fight the temptation to assume that because we know it is God’s will, we can then choose any way we wish to do it. I have found that God’s way is as important as God’s will. I have learned that obedience is not only fostered through doing God’s will but also through doing God’s will, God’s way. And, one more thing that I’ve discovered: Often times we don’t even have to find God’s way; it is He who will show us His way—clearly and unexpectedly.

January 1, 2015 was a very sad day for the thousands of faithful members of Mars Hill, a mega church in Seattle. It was on that day Mars Hill Church was dissolved as an organization, two weeks after their pastor Mark Driscoll resigned. The church wanted to grow and it wanted to grow fast. It’s certainly in the will of God for the church to grow but growing it fast may not be God’s way. A lot of missteps were taken that finally brought Mars Hill down and under but all can be placed in one category: Doing God’s will, our way.

I pray for our church not only to seek God’s will but also to do God’s will, God’s way. And, may He also show us His will and His way in our individual circumstances. May He give us strength to follow in His way because only His way will lead us to His will. Yes, we will never arrive at His will if we don’t follow in His way.

Pastor Paul