Good, acceptable and perfect

…Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.– Romans 12:2

One of the most powerful cases for the authority of Christianity is the way it transforms the lives of people into something better, something different, something more Christ-like than the individual was before an encounter with the cross of Jesus Christ.

God has a will for those who are brought into His family. His will is better than yours because He knows the end from the beginning, and because of His love for you, His will cannot be separated from His person. You may sometimes think that God delights in taking the fun from your life but on the contrary, He knows how you can find fulfilment and happiness. Before you become serious about finding God’s purpose and will for your life, you must answer this: “Is God a tyrant or is He a loving Father whose counsel, although contrary to our culture and the accepted behavior of our day, is best for my life?”

Paul testified that God’s will is good, and the word he used means “with substance and integrity.” Jim Elliot, one of the five men who were martyred when they attempted to reach the Waodanis in Ecuador, wrote these words in his diary: “I have found that the most extravagant dreams of boyhood have not surpassed the great experience of being in the will of God, and I believe nothing could be better.”

God’s will is acceptable and whole or complete, says Paul. Bringing your conscience into submission to His will requires that you become a living sacrifice that is offered at the beginning of every day as you say, “Lord, I’m Yours. Use me. Guide me. Work through me to accomplish what You want.”

Used with permission from Guidelines Philippines, Inc. To learn more about Guidelines and the ministry, please write to Box 4000, 1280 Makati City, Philippines or e-mail [email protected]. You may also visit www.guidelines.org.