The Reward For Our Sanctification

No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
–Psalm 84:11

Do you want to know God’s will for your life? Perhaps you are wondering, “Whom should I marry?” “Where should I work?” “What school should I attend?” Over and over these decisions come up, and we want to know what God’s will is.

In Romans 12:2, Paul said, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Most people interpret this verse by saying if you really want to know God’s will, then you need to surrender yourself completely to God–and only when you climb up on that spiritual altar and offer everything to God will He reveal to you what His will is. Now, I believe that to a certain extent. I believe that God gives more direction to those who are surrendered to Him than to those who are not. But I don’t think that is what this verse is saying.

When Paul said, “You may prove what the will of God is,” that word “prove” does not mean “discover”; it means “experience.” When you offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God, you will experience God’s will for your life. And notice Paul used three words about God’s purpose for your life: God’s plan for you is good, it is acceptable, and it is perfect. When you have offered all of yourself to God, you will experience His good, acceptable, and perfect plan for your life.

Let’s examine each of those words. First of all, God’s plan for your life is good. It is not bad. Ever since the Garden of Eden, Satan has been trying to convince us that God’s plan for us is bad. Eve fell for that line, and we have ever since. But God’s plan for your life is good. He said in Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans that I have for you … plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

Second, God’s plan is perfect. That word “perfect” in Greek means “complete.” Sometimes we fear that if we give ourselves completely to God, then God is going to keep us from experiencing something really good. No. God’s plan for your life is perfect; it is complete; it is not lacking. Psalm 84:11 says, “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

Third, Paul used the word “acceptable.” The word “acceptable” means “pleasing.” God’s ultimate plan for your life is pleasing. That does not mean everything that happens to you is pleasurable. But when you are in Heaven and look back over your life, you will be able to say that God worked together all things for good. Paul was talking about the ultimate plan of God.

When you completely surrender your life to God, you will discover that His plan for your life is good, not bad. It is complete, not lacking in anything. And it is pleasurable, not distasteful.

***

Today’s devotion is excerpted from “What To Do When You Feel The Squeeze” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2014.

Scripture quotations are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.