Will and I go way back. Like waaaaay back! You see, I’ve been trying to conform him to my desires and whims by manipulating situations or scriptures. But alas, he’s doing his own thing and I can only watch him work.
What did you say? You don’t know who Will is? Au contrar, you do! See, Will is the personified name I gave to the mysterious will of God. “Therefore do not be foolish,” Paul urges the Ephesians, “but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Eph. 5:17). The complete idea of God’s will is so complicated that I would be lying to you if I said I knew how to break it down in one pithy post. If theologians have been discussing this for years, I’m not solving this equation in any time soon.
Knowing where you’re suppose to be living, what job you’re suppose to be in, and foreknowing your future spouse is not knowing the will of God.
After much reading and researching, I’ve come to discover a huge truth: The will of God is to seek His kingdom and His righteousness. The most important decision we face is the daily decision to live for Christ and die to self. God wants us to stop obsessing about the future and trust that He holds the future.
By and large there are two types of people I encounter: passive and perfectionists.
Passives let the wind guide their soul and let chance rule their life. Que sera sera!
- I won’t look for a job because the Lord will bring one. [This sounds religious but it’s actually lazy.]
- I don’t get involved with making sure my wife tithes because she’s better with finances. [But what if she’s not? Spiritual responsibility is an individual sport!]
- I don’t say that I want to get married because then I’ll look like desperate woman who’s out of God’s will. [You have not because you ask not! Let others know… especially God.]
- Wakes up at 4:00AM to spend three hours in the Word surrounded by commentaries and Sparknotes on Ephesians. [This sounds religious, but it’s actually quite obsessive.]
- Balances checkbook and personal finances like a miser. [Being fiscally responsible is good. Being a miser is not good.]
- Takes Life by the horns and wrangles it like a Texas cowboy! Yeehaw 🙂 [Life cannot be wrangled. Especially if your from Los Angeles. Because really, if wrangling doesn’t include a clearance sale on designer high heels, I’m not wrangling anything!]
We need to put aside the passivity and the perfectionism and let God be God. The plan for your life isn’t some illusive treasure never to be found. As we do Life, God reveals His will. So, who are you? The perfectionist or the passive? If you have mastered the balancing act of landing in the middle, share your wisdom 🙂
Thanks so much for posting this. God is so funny in how He works. My husband and I are in the midst of trying to find a house. It is supposed to be one of the best times in your life, but has turned into the most stressful! My husband is more of the perfectionist, all ducks lined in a row…….I am more of the passive type – ( not to the extreme of being lazy, just tend to let things "roll off my shoulder") I have learned through this whole process of house searching that indeed God does hold the future and that He gives me little steps at a time as I run the race set before me. Thanks again for being a blessing everyday as He uses you to speak to my heart through your blogs!
Awesome! Thank so much for your supportive words 🙂 You encourage me to keep on doing what I’m doing! PS I’m going to be praying for your house-hunting! Dream big…
Dreaming big girl! Thanks for praying!
Your words always hit me like an arrow through the heart. But that's a good thing! So happy to have found you!
Woohoo! I’m glad we can exchange dialog here 🙂
Awesome post Bianca!! I am both a perfectionist and passive in different areas of my life. This post helps me really hone in on what I need to pray about. I've been battling with a few things lately and the battles actually have a lot to do with being passive in areas where I don't need to be and being a perfectionist in all other areas. I need to be more God-centered and that will definitely help me make the best decisions.
That’s so funny! I feel the same way too. In certain areas I am totally passive and in other areas I’m like annoyingly annoying! Hey, how’s the business?
ahh, this is an extremely timely post for me. i recently (about a month ago) wrote about my perfectionist tendencies on my blog and even today felt the Lord nudging me to trust Him and His plan without knowing the defined next step… thanks bianca!
I swing back and forth so much I could be tied to the bottom of a grandfather clock to keep it running.
Great post as always, Bianca.
Man oh man do I know "Will"….sometimes he overtakes me and I can't shake him loose. During my stay at home I am being taught, "Not by my will, but by HIS will, it/the________________________________(fill in the blank) will be done" His time is always perfect, this I know, but I wrangle with the "why so long though"..I want to be fixed now, not later……So, I sit, wait, read, study, exercise and wait, His timing is always the right time, never to early and never to late……………..
Thanks Bianca! As always you have such a great way with words…REAL and down to earth. You paint this picture of life that makes you go hmmm…that's me OR I can sooo relate! Thanks for your heart and compassion in the name of love, but also your faithfulness as you blog and speak to encourage!
The business is coming along very well!! Marketing, marketing, marketing is my impending focus!!! 😉 Thank you so much for asking!!!
Balance is what I am after. I strattle the fence of passivity and perfectionism. As christians many of us are afraid to exercise our right to have desires so in an effort to appear closer to God we sit back and wiat for his "will" do be done for us. Then there are others of us that walk this life boldly declaring our right to "be fruitful" so whatever we desire we go after because if we can attain it, it must be God's will.
I am in a place where I understand the importance of understanding the Word of God which reveals His will for us to be kingdom operatives here on earth. If we hide the word in our hearts, then His will becomes our will. If we walk in love then the doors of opportunity will continue to open for us because people will see God in us.
Pray for me as I seek balance…
Thanks for sharing…
I'm a perfectionist who judges passive people. yikes! Praying the Lord continually molds my brain, my heart, my words to be more like Him!
as a visionary…i can almost come across as a perfectionist. when God shows me something…i go for it and give it my all… so when things werent going the "way i thought it would"… i would come back all frustrated with God. lil did i know… God was also teaching me to appreciate the beauty in seasons and waiting….and i have now learned that HE makes all things beautiful in it's time.
I fall right in the middle; overly perfectionist about some things but totally passive on others. At this point in my life I feel that Will lost me, kinda like getting lost from your mom at the mall when you're a child. I know that he's still around, but I see Will doing nothing in my life. Although, nothing would fall into the "what I pray for and want to see happen in my life" category. What I want most in my life right now is to find a life long companion, someone to grow old with and love unconditionally. I know he's out there, Will just needs to do his thing and bring us together.
The first thing to a addiction is to admit you have a problem.. right? Haha I stopped being a perfectionist a few years ago because 1) I came to realize I will never be perfect and if God wanted me that way He wouldnt have made me imperfect! 2) it was just plain annoying to the people around me 🙂 However I believe that you do have to have balance because being to passive can make you lazy and be dangerous. How do you find that balance… ummmmm
I wish I knew, because I still struggle with this especially trying to be a stay at home mom.. What I do though is pray ALOT and really am trying to focus on "seeking the kingdom of God first" and let the Lord lead me on what I need to be passive on and what I need to be my old "type A" on. I am still trying to find balance, but I realize that although Its important to be led by the spirit to be in the will of God, I also need to make sure that I am doing the right things to stay in it. so I guess I am a " Passfectionist"
Have you heard Martina McBride's song about Will? She personifies God's will into a little boy named Will-a powerful story to tie into this post. Enjoy!! 🙂
On another note, I attended a Beth Moore simulcast on insecurity. She recently published a book: So Long Insecurity: You've been a bad friend to us. I highly recommend it if you haven't already read it-she hit the nail on the head this past Saturday for addressing our insecurities. I'm looking forward to reading the book as I interact with middle school girls daily in my teaching position. Might be of some guidance or food for thought for your passionate line of work as well! 🙂
Happy Monday
I am learning to balance my life I think I have always tried to be a perfectionist but have failed every single time! Passive I don't think that works for me. observing women and men in my life watching how they walk with the Lord has helped me. Reading the word and seek Him I have learned that it is key for balance!
Wow, I think I fall somewhere in the middle but leaning a little towards the passive side. I would love your insight though, just be gentle 🙂
Ha. I love you for saying what you say. 😉
Twice today I've landed on Matthew 6:33… hmmm perhaps its a theme developing :0) Yet, in that scripture, I think is a key… Seek FIRST His kingdom (His will) and His righteousness… and all these things will be added unto you…
Seek HIS will first… and everything else will take care of itself
Seek HIM first… and He will place everything in its proper priority order
Seek HIS heart… and all of the other "things" that we desire shall be revealed for what they are… the good will remain, the not-so-good-for-us will cease to exist…
For the last seven years, I have intentionally focused on finding balance between God's sovereignty and my responsibility… on seeking Him and waiting in rest… the longer the journey, the more I realize I have to learn…
I'm with Jacky…I'm def. right smack in the middle!! 😉 Also…for me God's will in my life is to do life to bring Him glory and fame not me! 🙂
Love that you are so to the point. Awesome. PS… I love the new little changes to the blog!
Wow! Ok, I think I'm in the middle but I lean a little more towards the passive side. I would love your insight though, just be gentle 🙂
I am reading Kay Arthur's How to Grow Spiritually Strong in 28 Days…she describes this as the "train" vs. the "hot air balloon".
love your blog!
i love that you can reply to each comment!:)
i miss the interesting, cool, funny and provoking buttons though!:D
balance: i do everything in the best way i possibly can, knowing what i want and doing what i can to get there. but never fretting when things don’t go my way/as planned ’cause i know God always has his reasons. i’m not sure how to best explain this, but i don’t really find myself fretting much over anything ’cause i just trust in God’s will for me.. i used to fear death or just walking anywhere on my own, but because i know things will happen to however God wills it to be, somehow i’m almost always at peace.. now, not ideally always.. i mean i easily get restless when i don’t feel i’m being productive.. and i don’t go out on the streets and scream danger is my middle name or something like that.:D
i guess what i’m trying to say is i do whatever i can the best way i could to get to what/where i want/feel i need to be, and leave the things i have no control over to God. 🙂
"Knowing where you’re suppose to be living, what job you’re suppose to be in, and foreknowing your future spouse is not knowing the will of God".
It might bring a temporary happiness but, the happiness or gladness or joy or peace that God gives is a far more profound happiness aside of temporary or material things, evan in the mist of suffering.
"The will of God is to seek His kingdom and His righteousness. The most important decision we face is the daily decision to live for Christ and die to self. God wants us to stop obsessing about the future and trust that He holds the future".
Bianca, has just fired the wining shot. GAME OVER!!!
"These thing I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full" John 15:11
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