10.10.2007

Not my will but Your will

In an earlier post, I told you about how I discovered that I was afraid of God´s will. I think that somewhere in my childhood I was led to believe that God would make me do things I did not want to do.

[For example: God would make me marry the boy who picked his nose - yikes! ]

This is how God answered my fears . . .

God said, ¨you are safe in my will.¨

Surrounded by safety, God has given me the ability to say, ¨not my will but Your will be done.¨

I am safe.

9 comments:

Erin said...

I have always been afraid...believing that God always has an ulterior motive to "teach us a lesson" with His will. So I've lived in fear, waiting for the other shoe to drop...I believed anything He asked me to do had to have a down side or else I wouldn't be challenged or learn anything. I wouldn't "grow"...so I have always been in fear of God's will...especially if it seemed to be something good...

Thanks for reminding me of the safety.

Marilyn Ruth said...

Erin,

You are right! That is the other thing = God is going to "teach us a lesson."

I have thinking about that this morning. As a public school teacher I eventually have figured out that the only lessons the students respond to are those I teach them with great respect and love. If I am angry or hostile or bitchy - they put up a wall.

Jesus taught with great love. Why would we ever think that God would do differently? Yet most of us have bought into it (me too). We have been taught that God would make bad things happen to us or pull the rug out from under us to make us humble.

Today I believe that this is really how the cycle should go . . .

We know humility and quiet our egos by saying, "not my will but your will be done." We are safe and feel safe here. In this humility and gratitude we are wrapped and washed in His love.

God rocks.

Keren said...

I now what you are saying but I suppose because I am so new to this I have never felt safe in God. I feel His love 100 percent plus, but when He has me dangling out their holding me upsidedown by the toes over the fire, I dont feel safe, I have no clue what he is going to do next. but I am learning to trust that through Him I can handle it even if I fall. It takes practice for me.

peace
Keren

Keren said...

I also need to practice typing or spelling or both obviously :o)

Marilyn Ruth said...

Keren,

You see . . . I personally don't believe it is God who is holding you "upside down by the toes over the fire." I think that is just simply the stuff of life.

But . . . I do believe that through all of the stuff of life, God has miracles all around us, millions of them, there for us, everywhere.

My favorite book on helping us see God's miracles is, "Inspired by Miracles" by Dan Joseph. You can get it on Amazon. Also, http://danjoseph.info has some of Dan's other articles. He defines miracles somewhat differently from the "parting of the Red Sea" type. Dan focuses more on how God heals our hearts and minds and then enables us to look at others and the world around us through God's eyes of love.

"Safe" is an interesting choice of words for God's will, but when I asked Him to help me understand, it was the only word he gave me.

Keren said...

Thanks Marilyn Ruth. I have read that book and it is wonderful.

I believe that we each experience God and Life in a way unique to each of us, even tho we are all the same at the core.

I also believe absolutely nothing happens to me without God "doing" it. Experiences of all kinds are gifts. My humanness however, is afraid and vulnerable. Spirit willing, flesh weak sort of thing.

I cannot predict what will happen to me next, but I am learning that Through God I can handle anything he throws at me. "He knows the way I take when he tests me" I love the book of Job - it is where the spelling of my name comes from Job 47-14 or something like that.

Anyway...He has never given me palliatives. He does give me miracles. I never doubt His love for me!

However, he does not make things easy on me, he doesnt pull any punches. He is upfront and truthful with me, I am upfront and truthful with Him.

I also believe it my difficult experiences that God has given and continues to give me, are what makes it easier for me to Love.

Peace and Love
Keren

Marilyn Ruth said...

Keren,

Yes, God does certainly come in different flavors.

Even when we are on the same path, it seems like we are here or there along the way.

I thought about that when I wrote the last comment. And it is certainly an important part of how we relate to each other - we just can't see through someone else's eyes. God is doing this work in you - God is doing that work in me.

I guess that is the point of our blog here - it is love that unites us.

I have been less open here about personal situations - there is some of that stuff of life going on with me too.

Know that I treasure your words and hold them close to my heart.

Keren said...

Thank you and I treasure you and your beautiful words!!.

I think I am experiencing somewhat of a dark night of the soul , but it is different than most Ive read about because I still believe GOd loves me, infact I am more deeply involved with Him than even before - it just sometimes isnt pretty (beautiful maybe but not pretty)

I can be a little overly dramatic sometimes like being held by my toes over the fire sort of thing. :o) My Father said it is because I am Irish.

Also, So many people very close to me do not want to hear about a God who is Love when they are in a lot of pain or other bad situations. I believe it is part of my "calling" at least to talk about God loving you through bad stuff, but not necessarily getting rid of it, or making you feel better while suffering.

(wonderful Love/Spirit filled parents) But I was not raised with the concept of God or eternity, I have some catching up to do. I wasnt taught faith, so I have to rely on recognising my experiences of faith as faith. If that makes any sense.

We should feel safe in God particularly day to day, and then when we are scared or whatever, we can at least trust that He is there whether we feel His presence or not. LIke oxygen I guess, we might not actually feel it, but we know it is there.

Peace and lots of Love
Keren

Keren said...

Oh I should also mention... God/Love is the strength that absolutely enables us to get up and leave a bad situation - like a bad relationship or job, or at least the strength to take the first step and ask for help.

My upside down over fire example was with regard to situations like floods, or illness or disease or loved ones or friends in pain or jail, or unexpected financial issues, etc.

Whew complicated stuff sometimes...