Every year, there are things we want to change about ourselves for the better—that’s resolution. Mostly are external changes on our body or habits that are very noticeable and appreciated when friends would meet us again. How about resolutions on perspectives this time?

       You see, we cannot be better individuals with just good physique, most importantly it’s the way we live our lives everyday. The new Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) study says that COVID-19 has likely tripled the depression rate in America last year of 27.8% compared to its pre-pandemic record of 8.5% . If we have poor principles in life, diseases caused by depression will eat up the world’s population hereon. It is only knowing and living in the will of God we can be at peace and can persevere the challenges that may come our way.

       As a Christian, I wonder if what I’m deciding every time is my will or is it God’s will. Am I living according to my means and ways? Otherwise, I am not pleasing my Creator. Moreover, it does me no good after all. How we decide can often be as important as what we decide. It takes the change in the mind first before the change in action, then to behavior, and to habit. However, we cannot pursue God’s will unless we know what His will is.

1. God’s will is trustworthy

       To pursue God’s will is to be convinced, first and foremost, that His will for us is ultimately good. Everytime I hear the psalm, “God is good all the time, and all the time God is good”, I am quickly harkened back to trust His ways for me even though I am currently struggling. It is difficult to trust God’s ways when you are brought the lowest in your finances or health or marriage, but how come you’re marking God as bad in this one situation in your life while forgetting all the good things He has done for you since then? 

        He has been a faithful God despite the faithlessness of humanity. His promise of abundant life to the lineage of Abraham has reached up unto this modern generation. He is the Rock of all Ages, no need to prove that He can be trusted. Will you then trust His will for you?

“For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” ~Psalm 100:5

2. God’s will is saving

       From the beginning that the first man failed God, His will for humanity is to save them to the point of sacrificing His own Son to die on the cross (Jn 3:16). Jesus came so that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly (Jn 10:10b). It means a life in its abounding fullness of joy and strength for spirit, soul and body. So whether it be your spirit or soul or body that is suffering, God wants to save you. 

       Recently, I’ve been into some thoughts of accepting permanent facial paralysis as I didn’t see even little improvements for the past month of my physical therapy. It was a difficult journey everyday since I believe in His promise of complete healing to my condition. Constantly reflecting whether this paralysis is God’s will for me as hard as it maybe, but nay! God then showed me small movements of my lip muscles last week. When I was about to be faithless of my healing, God helped me abscond from there. He doesn’t want me to believe the lies of the enemy in my head nor lose in his afflictions. So help comes from the Lord for we can never save ourselves from the very start. It’s so sweet to think that when you’re a child of God, He doesn’t let the enemy to snatch you from His hand. He’s gonna save you whenever.

3. God’s will is loving

       “Surrendering to God’s will makes little sense if we are not first convinced of the depths of God’s love for us,” said Prof. David Benner. If we are not convinced of God’s love for us, we can never trust nor follow Him. Learning to prefer God’s way to ours and discovering our identity and fulfillment in God’s kingdom way demands that we know Love, deeply and personally. I wonder if God was not loving, He could have consumed all of us in just a snap of a finger because of sin. No love is greater than His.

^“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  ~1 Jn.4:10

       Although we know that God’s will is all good or we know something of the depth of God’s love, we still find ourselves unable to fully surrender to it. Perhaps you find yourself trying to co-opt God to fit your plans rather than submitting to His divine willing. Perhaps you obey God in one or two aspects but not in all areas of your life. Jesus is the only person who has lived a life of total surrender to God’s loving will. He alone can lead us to the release from enslavement to an autonomous will. He alone can lead us to the freedom and fullness of life that is in God. 

       Thus, let us not pursue God’s will by our own resolve and willpower for like any other new year resolution it lacks discipline and fails in consistency, but through a close and personal relationship with Him that leads to a total submission and surrender of our being. Then and only then will we be able to truly pray Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane, “Not my will, but thine be done.”

       Happy New Year, child of God!