Published on 10/20/2006

We are learning to discern God's will and purpose for our lives and problems, following Romans 12:1-2 as our guide. We have discovered four steps into significance: make Christ your Savior; put God on the throne of your heart; refuse the world's influence; and seek the mind of the Father in prayer and Scripture. What happens to those who take these steps each day?

Commentary

Today's news announces that Mexican President-elect Felipe Calderon is scheduled to visit the White House on November 9, prior to succeeding President Vicente Fox on December 1. As you know, Calderon won the July 2 presidential election by less than one percent. His leftist opponent led massive protests for weeks in his demand for a full vote recount. The Federal Electoral Tribunal declared Calderon the winner in early September. If you're President Bush, do you create a public connection with the controversial president-elect? If you're Mr. Calderon, do you meet with the president during these days of low poll numbers? Or do national interests outweigh political concerns?

What perplexing questions are closer to home for you today? We are learning to discern God's will and purpose for our lives and problems, following Romans 12:1-2 as our guide. We have discovered four steps into significance: make Christ your Savior; put God on the throne of your heart; refuse the world's influence; and seek the mind of the Father in prayer and Scripture. What happens to those who take these steps each day?

The Bible offers this promise: you will experience his "good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2c). "Good" means that which works well in practical experience. "Pleasing" means that which brings delight and joy in emotional experience. "Perfect" means that which brings complete fulfillment of your purpose in personal experience.

Now you are in position to seek God's specific will for your specific problem or decision. He will guide you through biblical truth, open and closed doors and circumstances, the counsel of godly friends, and the urging of his Spirit in your heart. You will know what to do, when you need to know. And his will is always for your good and his glory.

Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuits, and made this prayer theirs:

Teach us, Lord, to serve you as you deserve,
To give and not to count the cost,
To fight and not to heed the wounds,
To toil and not to seek for rest,
To labor and not to ask any reward,
Save that of knowing that we do your will.

Amen?