January 29th | Living Out God's Will - Our Identity and Responsibility in Christ

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"For understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore do not seek to understand in order to believe, but believe that you may understand."

As followers of Christ, aligning our lives with God's will isn't optional—it's central to who we are in Him. Our new identity in Christ comes with profound responsibilities, and one of the greatest is to discern and follow God's will for our lives—doing what the Holy Spirit leads us to do.

Jesus Himself modeled this perfectly. When His disciples urged Him to eat, He replied in John 4:34: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work." Again, in John 6:38, He declared, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." Jesus' deepest nourishment and purpose came from submitting to the Father's will.

So how do we live this out? Scripture gives us clear steps.

1. We must seek to know and understand God's will.

Paul prayed earnestly for the believers in Colossae. In Colossians 1:9, he writes, "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives."

Likewise, Ephesians 5:17 urges us: "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."

Knowing God's will isn't automatic—it requires prayer, dependence on the Spirit, and a heart open to His wisdom.

2. We must choose to do God's will.

In John 7:17, Jesus says, "Anyone who chooses to do God's will will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own."

When we sincerely desire and choose to obey God's will, doors of understanding open. A receptive heart embraces Jesus' truth and acknowledges its divine origin.

3. We must stand firm in God's will.

Colossians 4:12 speaks of Epaphras praying that the believers "may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured."

Standing firm means perseverance—remaining rooted and steadfast even when challenges arise, growing into mature faith that's confident in God's direction.

One of the most profound insights on this comes from St. Augustine, the influential bishop and theologian from North Africa in the late 4th and early 5th centuries. He wrote, "Understanding is the reward of faith." (In fuller context: "For understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore do not seek to understand in order to believe, but believe that you may understand.")

This isn't about earning a prize for faithfulness. Rather, it's a beautiful blessing: As we trust and obey God in faith, He graciously grants us deeper insight into His will for our lives. Feeling, understanding, and following God's will becomes a profound gift—a reward that flows from a heart surrendered to Him.

Prayer for Today:

Lord, fill me with the knowledge of Your will through Your Spirit's wisdom. Help me choose obedience daily, stand firm in Your purposes, and trust that as I walk in faith, You'll reveal more of Your perfect plan. Thank You that following Your will is both my responsibility and my greatest joy in Christ. Amen.

Your identity in Christ calls you to God's will—and in pursuing it faithfully, you'll experience the blessing of truly understanding it.