First Posted August 2001

THY WILL BE DONE

Sometimes it seems that some families are prone to tragedies. A friend of mine is a member of one such family. Within the last two months her brother and her uncle died unexpectedly. Now her father is in the hospital, recovering from surgery. Her mother is unexplainably losing weight, most likely because of all the above-mentioned situations.

When someone experiences such emotional trial, it is not unusual for that person to shake a fist at God and say, "How could you let this happen?" Grief and pain turn into anger directed toward God. That anger causes separation from God, which causes greater grief and pain. How are we to handle the grief and pain in our lives? If we truly believe that God is in control of all that happens then we should handle the grief and pain in the same way that we handle the joys and pleasures: "In everything give thanks" (1 Thes. 5:18). Yes, it is much easier to give thanks to God in joyful, pleasurable circumstances. It wouldn't make sense to be angry with Him when we are experiencing joyful times. However, when things happen that cause us pain, we look for someone to blame and with whom to get angry. If we consider that God could have prevented this pain we get angry with Him for allowing us to go through the circumstances. It's at this point that we must realize that nothing that He allows us to endure is comparable to what He allowed His Son Yeshua to experience through His death. Even more should we consider Yeshua's response to the pain and grief He was about to experience: "not My will but Thine be done." (Luke 22:42)

God does have a plan for our lives. He allows relationships and circumstances to affect the person that we are and to accomplish His purposes in our lives. When we realize this truth then the most important question we need to ask is, "What is your will for my life, Father?" If we truly desire to know His will and are willing to accept it, then we can say to Him, "Not my will but yours be done." Once we have completed these two transactions with Him we can say as David did, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." (Ps. 23:4)

I have another friend who has been through a painful experience. In 1992 she was diagnosed with breast cancer, had a mastectomy, and underwent chemotherapy. In 2000 she was once again diagnosed with breast cancer, had another mastectomy, and has subsequently undergone chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Although the circumstances have been difficult for her to walk through in her flesh, she knows that God has a purpose for these circumstances in her life. To say that she is joyfully enduring the grief and pain would not be correct. She has cried, experienced disbelief, anger and discouragement. But she has not allowed her emotions to separate her from God. In fact, these circumstances have served to deepen her relationship with Him because she knows that she can't walk through them without Him. This is the place where all of us need to be. We need to recognize that our lives have a purpose that only our Father knows. He is the one Who created us for His purpose. Our desire should be to fulfill His purpose in our lives. The only way we can do that is to seek to know His purpose, His will, for our lives, and then be willing to allow Him to fulfill that purpose. Yeshua knew His purpose: "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him Who sent Me." (John 6:38) Yeshua fulfilled His purpose by being obedient to His Father's plan for His life. He instructs us to do the same. "Abide in Me, and I in you. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love." (John 15: 4, 9, 10) "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15)

Our Father does not tell us that we will have a grief free, pain free life if we abide in Him and obey Him. He does tell us that He loves us and commands us to abide in His love. He has laid out His plan for us. Our choice is to follow His plan for our lives. No matter what circumstances these plans may lead us through, we still know that He is faithful in His love toward us. And we can know no better bottom line for our lives.

FROM THE BRIDEGROOM

"Children, come in to Me deeper, higher, wider, I AM 'Why?' Yield your will to My Will." (12/5/95)


"Humbly seek Me. Humbly greet Me. I Am the Lover of your soul. You are Mine and Mine alone. You go at My command; you stop at My command. Your Will is My will. You are not your own. Seek Me; Seek Me-Me. I Am all you need and all you need to know." (4/29/96)

Baruch Haba B'Shem Adonai

Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord.