How to Know God's Will - Part 3

The Spirit Speaks Through Church Family
How to know God's will - Part 3
by Rhonda Jackson

A few years ago, I was blessed to see - live and in person -  a woman who I had been watching preach on various TV stations and her own website for over 20 years.  Excited by the beautiful venue and the hum of the crowd, I waited for her to take the stage after the worship music.  In my mind’s eye, my arms were open, and I was thinking, “I’m ready!  What are you going to bring me tonight?” like a kid on Christmas Eve.

And a kind of weird thing happened. As  I sat and watched and listened,  feeling receptive and thinking bring on the blessing! -- I started to feel love and energy emanating out of me, towards my spiritual “mom,” the little woman on the stage, when I had fully expected this energy from her.  Over the next few days at the conference I was indeed blessed, but I felt my posture change – physically and spiritually – from one of expectation to one of pure support and love.  

Maybe it’s just me, but occasionally, my time at church mirrors this experience.  I enter with an expectation, humming  Janet Jackson’s What have you done for me lately? rather than Stevie Wonder’s Here I am, baby -  signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours! I have left churches with the excuse of not being fed while bringing nothing to the table myself.  

We may read Acts 2:42-47 with those same spiritual rolling of  eyes. Of course they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings – they didn’t have real jobs/gas prices/troubled kids/bills to pay/a Twitter feed to tend to - without pausing to consider the false gods to whom we’ve devoted our time, treasure, and talent.  Or, Sure they were in awe watching wonders and signs; many of them had experienced Christ in person! - while missing the miracles in front of us: another sunset, the light in our children’s eyes, our friend who is now cancer free.  
Selling possessions and distributing them to the needy and home churches may sound weird and Woodstock-y, but it’s impossible not to be blessed when we tithe or donate or cook a meal for a grieving friend.  Our prayer life can be similarly affected: Lord, you kinda missed the mark there; You didn’t come through for me, so I’m done here rather than Thank you Father…I’m alive!

Just as physical slouching affects not only our posture but also our digestion, circulation, and balance, while standing up straight  improves our health – spiritual slouching relates to attitude; our faith feels dry and brittle and we affect a posture of expectation, as though our spiritual mentor/church/pastor/God owes us something.  But when we devote ourselves, as the first Apostles, to Christ’s teaching, we stand erect, directing our attention outward, asking How can I serve you today, Lord?  Who can I bless?

God’s will for your life will be discovered more in your giving than in your receiving.  

This post was inspired by the following message.