Peacemaker Ministries Devotional: Council of His Will

Scripture

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.(Ephesians 1:11-12,ESV)

Thoughts

As Paul told the believers in Ephesus, God works everything “according to the counsel of His will.” Every aspect of our life is according to the wise counsel of God’s will. King David wrote in Psalm 139, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written every one of the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16, ESV). God is not a God of chaos. He is the God who looks at everything in accordance with his will.

And what is God’s will? Paul clearly states that God’s will is for us to be sanctified, which means holy or set apart for God. In his first letter to the Thessalonian church, Paul wrote:

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual

immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in

holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not

know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter,

because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you

beforehand and solemnly warned you.(1 Thessalonians 4:3–6, ESV)

God’s will for us is sanctification—that we would be holy.

Application

Think about your walk with God. God is working things out according to the counsel of his will, yet you might wonder how a struggling relationship will be reconciled. God isworking it out according to the counsel of his will, and he wants you to walk in true holiness in your actions toward the other person. Your holiness is to be the holiness that Jesus modeled for us; it is to be a humble holiness that willingly and faithfully picks up a cross daily and follows Jesus as he sanctifies you.

Prayer

Lord, I am struggling. Would you guide me according to the counsel of your will? Help me to walk in humble holiness. Help me to daily pick up my cross and follow you…. (Continue praying.)