Weekly Devotional: Summer Series- Charles Spurgeon on the Will of God
By Allison Richmond
Professional Writing Major, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
“When your will is God’s will, you will have your will” –Charles Spurgeon
As society evolves over time, it seems man’s selfishness has grown. People are always on the lookout for ways to better themselves and increase their own personal happiness. This often leads to an uncompromising self-regard and entitlement, even at the expense of others.
As Christians, we are called to be unselfish and, more importantly, to follow God’s will. Theologian Charles Spurgeon once commented on the matter and stated, “when your will is God’s will, you will have your will.” Though a tongue twister, this piece of wisdom is extremely insightful and revealing towards how Christians should model their lives.
When we desire the things that God desires, we will no longer be disappointed by outcomes. On the other hand, when we become stubborn in things we want or think we need, we often times feel let down, especially when life doesn’t go according to our own plans. Spurgeon reminds us to align our desires with God’s. This way, our desires are always met and we are completely satisfied in the Lord.
So how do we know God’s will?
We read the Bible. The Bible was given to us by God to show us how to live in accordance with His will. It is full of verses that reveal His heart, what He desires from each of us and how we should live to honor Him.
When following God’s will, however, you must be prepared to live differently than the world. Following God and His will are often counter-intuitive to our culture. In Ephesians 5, it states:
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit.”
The ways of the world may look appealing, but they are ultimately foolish. Things like drunkenness and sexual immorality are promoted within our society, and we may start to believe that these are things we must adhere to in order to be “popular” or “acceptable”. We may even strive for this “popularity” despite the spiritual costs, however, God calls us to follow His will. We are to make His will, our will.
In practical terms, we are to desire things like kindness, helping the poor, serving the needy, comforting the mourning or building each other up. When we desire what God desires, we will have our will, just as Spurgeon says.
Grand Canyon University is committed to following the will of God. If you would like to learn more about GCU’s Christian identity and heritage or would like to read more devotionals please visit our website and check out the GCU Blog.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.