If there's a will...

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God... Colossians 1:1a

I have noticed, by way of a sermon from a former professor, we do not truly believe to have God's will be done when we pray for it to be done. It is this way because we want our will done, not God's. 

I find Paul's opening to the church at Colossae, and Corinth, interesting. He calls himself an "apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God". Truth be told he did not want to be an apostle or even a Christian. He was perfectly content as a Pharisee who was paid to round up believers in Christ and take them to jail.

His life was great, until one day on the road to Damascus Jesus appeared to him. God's will on Paul's life changed him. He went from having everything he wanted and persecuting others to having nothing and being persecuted.

Even more interesting is the fact that Paul was completely content in both situations. When he was not in God's will and persecuting others he was content. When he became an apostle he was happy and content. Notice that when he was in God's will he was happy.

You read his letters and you get the sense that he was disillusioned and unhappy as a Pharisee striving after his own glory. Yet, when the change occurred and he gave over to Christ all he was and all he had, he became overjoyed.

When you are at the center of God's will you will have joy. I will not say you will be free from strife and stress, because Paul wasn't and we are never promised that.

We are promised the Spirit to comfort and empower us. We are told that God's grace is sufficient for all our needs. 

It is by God's will we are called.

It is by God's will we are sanctified.

It is by God's will we live.

Where there is the will of God, we must be in it.