Clarity

Clarity
Nov 29, 2010
Col 1:9 ". . . continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. . ."'

Beating against the wind is a concept that emphasizes futility. It describes an action that expends a great deal of energy, only to result in fruitless effort. There is nothing productive about it, and the only thing gained is, well, nothing. Many, many people live their lives this way, spending their energies on activities that are completely unproductive, fruitless. You've probably experienced this once or twice, investing a great deal of effort into an activity only to have gained absolutely nothing. It is so frustrating, to employ yourself heartily only to realize a vast void where work once abounded. I've seen many people in the latter years of their lives, living with such regret, having spent most of their days on pointless, fruitless activities. They never planned on it, it just happened. You and I don't plan on pointless activities either, but it happens more than you want to admit.

Most of us don't mind a little hard work, but we usually like to see some result from all the effort, rather than see our time wasted. There is hope, though, to help us avoid pointless activity. God does not want you to engage in a life of pointless activities. God wants you to have clarity in what you are supposed to do. God has direction for you, and He would like you to be productive. What this looks like is different for everyone, and to tell you what you should spend your time on is not for me to say. But I can offer the same advice that Paul gave: we should continually ask God to fill us with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.

Paul's advice, asking for spiritual direction and clarity, has a purpose; the same purpose you and I would expect. It is found in the verses following his advice. It is "so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God." This would give each of us the direction we need to have hope in the work that we are doing, hope that it will be productive. If our direction comes from the Lord, then it will surely be productive. The productivity might not be for the same results we would expect or hope for on earth, but since God is in charge of the fruit from our labor, we can trust Him to work it out. This trust is in knowing God intends our work to be for our own true benefit or for that of others, so they might come into a full relationship with the Lord. Both options result in an abundance of fruit.

God does not want you to wander through this life wondering what it is you are supposed to do. He wants you to know your purpose and offers wisdom to all those who ask for it. It is critical, then, that you lay down your own ideas of what it is you should do and truly be willing to listen to His recommendations. God's ways might seem different than what you might think, but His work is always for a purpose. It is also critical that you drown out your own voice and the tempting voice of Satan, defeating all that is against what God truly has for your life. God has a plan and a will, and God wants you to align your life with His own ideas for mankind. But finding out what God's will is requires clarity, the kind of clarity that only comes from listening to what it is He has to say. The Holy Spirit will provide you with that clarity, revealing the truth of God's will for your life. I pray that you find God's will for your efforts, that they would no longer be pointless, but filled with fruit, good fruit.

Don't live another moment without seeking God's will for today. Determine to know and do God's good and perfect will in everything.

1. What are you doing that is not bearing fruit?
2. How can you ask for God's will in EVERYTHING that you do?
3. How can you align God's will with yours, ensuring you are bearing fruit?

Don't take my word for it; look it up: Matt 6:33, John 8:44, John 16:13, Rom 8:28, Rom 12:2, Col 1:9-12, James 1:9, 1 John 4:6