Human beings are blind creatures. We find ourselves outside of God’s will on a regular basis, but we are unable to see our course of action the way God sees it. He can see every detail of what we are doing and the choices we are making, but we can often only see what is in front of us at the moment. Frequently, it looks too good to pass up. And so, we begin to rationalize how we can have it.
How We Find Ourselves Outside of God’s Will
And that’s how we find ourselves unable to see that we are outside of God’s will. Deep down, we don’t want to see that we are on the wrong path. We don’t want to hear that the object of our desire is forbidden by the Lord. We don’t want to know the consequences, whether they are eternal or earthly. Sometimes, concerned friends come to us to try to persuade us to stop and consider our ways. If we are wise, we will listen and take action. But more often than not, we tell them that we are able to handle this. Or it’s none of their business, or it’s a little thing, or find some excuse for justifying our choices. When we find ourselves doing these things, it’s a sure sign that something is wrong in our walk with God.
The enemy’s ways are so subtle that we can be led into evil, step by step, without ever realizing where we are. A vigilant spiritual life is critically important in protecting us against Satan’s inroads. The moment that we let it slide is the moment that we start depending upon ourselves for protection against his advances into our lives. Before we know it, we are snared by the ways of the world or entangled by wrong choices. We are hopeless at protecting ourselves against evil. It will get us every time. And being outside of God’s will becomes impossible to see once we have allowed it into our lives.
There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.Proverbs 16:25
Having the Mind of Christ
If we have accepted salvation, we also need to learn the mind of God. Being saved is just the first step: The next one is to seek to become like the One that saved us. This means soaking ourselves in His presence, allowing His thoughts to become our thoughts, and trusting Him to shape us into His likeness. But if we only ever take the first step, we put ourselves in a dangerous place, one where the enemy can sneak in and convince us that something seems right when it actually comes from him. God never tells us to do what seems right; He tells us to do what is right. There is a vast difference between the two, but without the mind of Christ, it is almost impossible for us to distinguish one from the other.
God wants us to experience the joy of salvation now, while we are living on earth. It is His desire for His children to be right with Him and experience the peace that He brings them. But when we fail to have the mind of Jesus we are susceptible to the lies of the enemy. He can instill in us false morality, his values, and the ways of the world without us even knowing, and it can rob us of the experience that God desires us to have now.
Look for the Exits
We will face many forks in the road during our walk with the Lord. Many times, we will not notice them. It is easy to follow the broad path that everyone is following. It is well-traveled and looks right. The exits are hard to spot and often look difficult or dangerous. Being outside of God’s will looks easy and appealing because there are many others doing it too.
But we need to look for the exits off the broad path. If we want to avoid Satan’s traps, we need to ask for the mind of Jesus and allow it to change us. His word should be saturating our souls and providing us with a sharp weapon of discernment for anything that is not from Him. God places a high calling in our lives; it is always more than we ask for or think of on our own. He is calling us to a life of holiness. Anything that is tainted with Satan’s touch has no business being in our lives. Being outside of God’s will is a scary place that can have eternal consequences.
If you are in a situation where you are uncertain of God’s will, the only answer is to spend time getting to know the mind of Christ. Saturate yourself in His presence and His word. Listen to the godly counsel of people He sends to you. Ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit to make you like Jesus. When you do that, the path becomes clear and you will know His will and His ways.