During the past few years I have asked these questions more than once – God what would you have me do? Where would you have me go…am I doing what you would like me to do?
These questions I am sure have been asked by more people than just myself…possibly you have asked these questions before trying to determine God’s will or plan for your life. What I have found is that God will often open and close doors when we least expect them. It is our responsibility to walk through them when they are open or move on to the next door when it is closed…or even stand patiently in the room where He has placed us. If you are like me, standing still is very difficult. George Muller wrote an excellent article on “How to Ascertain the Will of God” which I find very comforting. He mentions that 90% of the challenge is getting our heart in a place where we have no will of our own…only His will. That is when we are open to the Holy Spirits promptings – doors.
During my devotional time I was asking these very questions and behold a story was told in the devotional about the little violet that was determined to be the best little violet he could be. We should all strive to be in the center of God’s will at all times but we are told by the media and everywhere we look that you can be what you want; get out of life what you want…is this Biblical? Is that putting Him first in our lives or is that putting self-first in our lives? Please don’t misunderstand…I believe we should work hard, do our best, and if we are rewarded here on earth for that, there is nothing wrong with the benefits that come with hard work. We are commanded by the Lord to do the best we can at what we do. In Colossians 3:23-24 it says: “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
The question to me is: What is the motivation?
Is it to do our best for Him or is it to get things?
Is it to do what God would have me do or what I want to do…again one of the tough questions. In the following devotional reading – Mrs. Cowman addresses this in a very simple fashion.
The Best Little Violet
Paul, while being denied every comfort, wrote these words from a dark prison cell. Philippians 4:11 “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
A story is told of a king who went to his garden one morning, only to find everything withered and dying. He asked the oak tree that stood near the gate what the trouble was. The oak said it was tired of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine tree. The pine was troubled because it could not bear grapes like the grapevine. The grapevine was determined to throw its life away because it could not stand erect and produce fruit as large as peaches. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac.
And so it went throughout the garden. Yet coming to a violet, the king found its face as bright and happy as ever and said, “Well, violet, I’m glad to find one brave little flower in the midst of this discouragement. You don’t seem to be the least disheartened.” The violet responded, “No, I’m not. I know I’m small, yet I thought if you wanted an oak or a pine or a peach tree or even a lilac, you would have planted one. Since I knew you wanted a violet, I’m determined to be the best little violet I can be.”
Others may do a greater work,
But you have your part to do;
And no one in all God’s family
Can do it as well as you.
People who are God’s without reservation “have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ”His will becomes their will, and they desire to do for Him whatever He desires them to do. They strip themselves of everything, and in their nakedness find everything restored a hundredfold. – Mrs. Cowman
So the question is…what do you want to be? Do you want to be the strong oak tree, or pine tree, or the fragrant lilac or do you want to be the best little violet you can be where He has planted you today?
The workers are few but the harvest is ripe! Spread some cheer and the love of our savior today.