March 9
“Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:9
I mentioned that I have gotten to the point where I pray often for two things: to be pure and pleasing to the Lord at all times. We discussed the aspect of being pure yesterday, and today we will discuss the goal of being pleasing to Him. This ties into our topic of confession and repentance because I often don’t want to do His will. I want to do what I want when I want. I think this is sin, and it is crucial if we are going to confess and forsake our sins to understand all the ways in which we sin. Keeping control of our lives and saying no to the Holy Spirit’s leading is a major category of sin that we need to understand and overcome.
Being pure in heart is focused on what is going on inside of me, my thinking, my motives, my motivations, my desires, my goals. It is critical to get that right because it dictates everything that I do and say. Being pleasing refers more to my actions, and it is more outward focused. Since I am naturally self willed and lazy, stubborn and disobedient, determined to do what I want to do, which is usually that which is easy and entertaining over that which is difficult and eternal, I have to continually ask the Lord to redeem the time and show me what it is I should be doing at a given time. I believe that I please Him when I fellowship with Him throughout the day, seeking to know His will, and then doing it with diligence.
If you are like me, the thought of continually surrendering our will to God and seeking to know and do His will is a really, really difficult thing. Just the thought of it used to make me (the old man, my sinful nature who likes to be in charge) cringe. Think about all the things you will have to give up! Think about the things that you know God is displeased with that you will have to stop doing! Think about the entertainment (movies, sports, surfing the net, etc.) that more than likely will go by the wayside. Think about all the difficult things we want to put off now having to be done with diligence. Think about the people we would rather avoid now needing our love and concern. Think about how easy it is to exist in our isolated, insulated world, and how difficult it will be to get out of our comfort zones and follow Christ.
Yet this is exactly what we are called to do as Christians, and if we aren’t doing this, we are sinning against the Lord, I believe. Doing our own thing and being in control of our lives, trying to use God as a co-pilot, an advisor, a rubber-stamper, or trying to get Him to bless our activities that have nothing to do with His kingdom, I think is sin. Do you agree with this? Have you ever examined everything you are doing, every hour or minute spent, and analyzed what useful purpose for God’s eternal kingdom does that thing have? Are you willing to let go of those things that are not profitable for eternity? Are you willing to spend time praying instead of watching television? Are you willing to reach out to another person rather than leave them alone or let someone else do it?
The question boils down to whether or not we are willing to surrender our will to Christ and desire only His will. Some of you may be well along this road already, but I have to confess that for most of my life I haven’t had this mindset. I am just learning it, learning to replace self-will with His will. Some Christians like to talk about how we are already pleasing to God in Christ, and that is certainly true, I can only please Him as I abide in Him. But I also think the apostle Paul knew that he had to put effort into his walk as well and really work at trying to know His will and do it.
I am asking the Lord to enable me to be pleasing to Him throughout the day. I am asking Him to help me surrender my will to Him and do whatever He indicates I should do as I pray for His guidance. Will you join me in this difficult journey? Will you seek above all to be pure and pleasing to Him? I hope you will join with me in this quest; I guarantee that it will not be easy or comfortable (and your flesh will kick and scream and resist all the way), but I am pretty sure I can guarantee it will be the greatest and most rewarding adventure you and I have ever pursued.
Pure and pleasing. These above all, every time, every day.