Matthew 12:50 Jesus says to his disciples, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Often in this world we are focused on doing our own will. Doing the things we think is best for our lives. We are focused on success, fame, money, friends, pleasure, and many other worldly things. Those things may seem important to us in the moment, but those are not the will of the Father in Heaven.
God’s will is not to have control over us. God’s will is to bless us (John 10:10b, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”) He is there is give us life. But we must do as our Heavenly Father has told us to do.
Following God’s will is more than just obeying the rules He has given us. In John 14:15, Jesus tells us, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Doing the will of the Father is the way we show Him that we love, honor, and respect Him. But that also means we have to be willing to do what He desires for us and not what we desire for ourselves.
Jesus gave us the example of how we are do the will of the Father. Jesus lived a life following the will of God of Heaven. In Matthew 26 when Jesus was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, He repeated the phrase “not as I will, but as you will” in His prayers to God. Jesus knew the importance of following the will of the Father. He gave us the ultimate example by following through with His sacrifice on the cross to fulfill the will of the Father.
God desires us to follow Him and leave behind the world. Following the will of the Father means cutting ties with the world. Obeying the Gospel and living a faithful life in accordance to His will is the utmost calling of a Christian. Are you following the will of the Father in Heaven?
Nick Pace
S. Green St. church of Christ
Glasgow, KY