God Is Working In YOU!

His Word: For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.              Philippians 2:13 NLT

Observation & Obedience: In His Word, Paul reflects on how the new believers in Philippi had been relying on his teaching and presence; and it was because of him that they had wanted to obey God. 

Now, in Paul’s absence, he explains that they need to develop their own dependence on God. They must recognize that it is God who is working in them to give them the desire and power to do his will; not Paul. 

Have you ever had days when you don’t feel like obeying God? Let’s be honest and say that yes, for whatever reason, sometimes we just don’t have the desire to do God’s will. 

I’ve taken the liberty of listing a few of those possible reasons/excuses: 

1) Demands: We often have our own thoughts and opinions on how God’s will should look, how it should work out and who it should involve. This selfish attitude puts our demands over God’s commands. 

2) Doubts: We struggle with trying to figure out what God’s will is going to require of us, how long it’s going to take, where it’s going to lead us, etc. Our doubts often produce fear that keeps us from doing anything at all.

3) Denial: Because we don’t fully understand, we may deny that God is really leading us in a certain direction. Perhaps we heard him incorrectly or his instructions were for someone else. Denial keeps us stuck in a rut.

4) Distractions: Our lives and minds are busy places. We allow distractions to take us down paths God never intended for us to go. Distractions are the number one way the Enemy keeps us from obeying God. 

5) Decisions: Sometimes we have difficulty making decisions. When all the pieces to God’s “purpose puzzle” are not laid out in clear view, we make the decision to not make any decision at all.  

The good news is that God has not left us alone in our struggles to do his will. He wants to come alongside and desires to work in us. God is the one who gives us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. 

Think about it. If we waited until we felt like doing most things in life, how much would actually get accomplished? When it comes to obeying God, we must ask him to help us want to do his will; it’s that simple!

Have you used any of these reasons to keep you from allowing God to work in you? Have you given God a list of demands he must fulfill before you’ll consider obeying him?  Does all your energy go toward calming your doubts by trying to figure everything out beforehand? 

Does denial that God wants to use you keep you stuck in one place? Have the distractions of your world lead you in the wrong direction? Are you complacent not to do anything because all the pieces don’t line up?

Now you may not consciously list these reasons for not wanting to obey God and do what pleases him, but you may have used them at one time or another without realizing it. 

It is possible to change our desires to be more like God’s desires. First, we need to recognize that God has not abandoned us but is working and shaping us into women who desire to do his will. Then we must acknowledge that it’s only through his power that we can accomplish it.

Prayer: “Dear God, I find that when I don’t use excuses and do what pleases you, I actually gain the desire to do it! Help me to do what you want while I trust you to change my desires.  Thank you for caring enough about me to be actively working inside me and providing me with your power. Amen.”

Encouragement: You don’t always have to have a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go and see what happens.  Mandy Hale