I often ask God to "guide me," and it wasn't long ago that I realized I was using this as a pretty cliche. So I started peering into what I was really asking for, and discovered that I ought not to ask, "Where do you want me to go, what do you want me to do?" but rather, "Who do you want me to be?" So I ask, "God, guide me in being who you want me to be."
Who does God want me to do be? The answer drenches the pages of the New Testament and Christ's words tell us. He wants me to be a disciple of Christ, intimate with God and conformed to Christ. I don't think God is so much interested in what we do or where we go, but who we are. Salvation is not found in what we do or whether or not we join a monastery; it is actually founded in our becoming lifelong disciples of Christ, founded in our developing intimacy with Christ and God (John 17:3).
So from now on, my prayer is, "God, who do want me to be?" And His answer: "I want you to be a disciple of My Son so that you can become intimate with Me and become like My Son. And I will guide you." Where does He want me to go? Wherever it is, it is far more important that I be like His Son. What does He want me to do? Whatever it is, it is far more important that I be like His Son, not only in word and deed, but in the inner parts of my being.
Who does God want me to do be? The answer drenches the pages of the New Testament and Christ's words tell us. He wants me to be a disciple of Christ, intimate with God and conformed to Christ. I don't think God is so much interested in what we do or where we go, but who we are. Salvation is not found in what we do or whether or not we join a monastery; it is actually founded in our becoming lifelong disciples of Christ, founded in our developing intimacy with Christ and God (John 17:3).
So from now on, my prayer is, "God, who do want me to be?" And His answer: "I want you to be a disciple of My Son so that you can become intimate with Me and become like My Son. And I will guide you." Where does He want me to go? Wherever it is, it is far more important that I be like His Son. What does He want me to do? Whatever it is, it is far more important that I be like His Son, not only in word and deed, but in the inner parts of my being.
3 comments:
I've always asked God to guide me on His path. But asking Him to guide you to be like Jesus is His ultimate goal.
Good post, Anthony.
It reminds me of how often I used to ask "what is God's will" in a certain situation or in a decision I had to make. I began to realize that I used that question as a litmus test to determine later on whether the decision was right or wrong.
If anyone misunderstood, I am not saying that our discipleship to Christ or our conformity to Christ saves us, b/c it doesn't. It is Christ who saves us. Discipleship and conformity to Christ is our response to what Christ as already done for us.
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