The Self-Centered Pursuit of God’s Will

Sam Hamstra | Jan 21, 2012

The self-centered pursuit of God's will. Seems like a contradiction doesn't it? But time after time, Scripture reveals individuals, just like you and me, who choose God's will over their relationship with God.

Living Hope Church has been traveling with Moses through the "Land Between" (borrowing words from pastor and author Jeff Manion). In the process, we stopped to watch the forty-year old Moses transition from a life of luxury in Egypt to a life in the wilderness of Midian (Exodus 2:11-15 and Acts 7:20-29).

The transition took place in four seemingly easy steps. First, Moses came up with the idea that he might use his preferred position in Egypt to protect the enslaved Israelites, "his people," from the harsh treatment of their masters, the Egyptians (Acts 7:23). Second, Moses, without instruction from the Lord, chose to help "his people" by murdering an Egyptian who had been mistreating an Israelite (Exodus 2:12). Seems Moses thought that such an action would rally the Israelites around him as their liberator (Acts 7:24-25). Third, Moses realized that his plan had failed and feared for his life (Exodus 2:13-15).  So, fourth, Moses left his place of prominence and fled to Midian where he would spend the next forty years of his life (Exodus 2:15 & Acts 7:30).

Interestingly, Moses understood God's will. He had concluded that, through his forty years in Egypt, where he was taught in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and where he had a reputation was a man powerful in both speech and action (Acts 7:22), God was preparing him to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  Moses' problem was not his misunderstood God's will for his life.  The problem was his self-centered approach to living out God's will. More specifically, Moses implemented God's will in his own time and by his own method.  

What Moses illustrated for me was how we can commit ourselves to God's will but, in the process of working out that will, become self-centered, instead of God-centered. It seems contradictory but the testimony of Scripture is clear: if we are not careful we may self-centeredly seek out God's will.  We may understand God's will and be committed to it, but seek it in such a way that doesn't include the Lord.

Moses, then, teaches me that when God clarifies his will for my life, He expects me to live into it in a manner consistent with his will. God's will, for example, is best done in God's time. There may be times when we tarry instead of getting right at it, like the rich young ruler who refused to sell his possessions and follow Christ. But there may also be times when we may rush into God's will ahead of God's timing.

Furthermore, God's will is best implemented according to God's will.  Sure there are occasions when Christians wrestle with options that appear to contradict the Lord's will. (I am thinking now of the attempts of German Christians, like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, to assassinate Adolf Hitler.) But, thankfully, those types of scenarios are few and far between. By and large, we may expect God's will revealed in Scripture to harmonize with God's specific calling upon our lives. Consequently, the Lord expects us to follow the example of Jesus and live into the will of our Father in heaven.

Yet, the more I reflect on this theme, the more I realize the challenge of harmonizing our methods with the message, the call with our confession.  On one hand, I may know that the Lord has called me to serve His church as a pastor. On the other hand, how will I fulfill this calling? I observe pastors employing models that seems to be shaped more by the world than by Scripture (such as the pastor as CEO). And that's just one example from one area of service.  Sure seems like understanding God's call upon our lives may be a lot easier than living it out in a manner consistent with His will. That's what I learn from Moses, anyway.

 

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