Paul is honest in his answer before the council. He had done everything God had asked him to do. Would I be able to answer in the same, honest manner as Paul if I were questioned? That’s hard. I don’t always do what God wants me to; I don’t always ‘fulfill my duty.’ Often what God wants us to do is not what we want to do. I am struggling with doing what God wants me to do, now. It does not follow the plan I have set for myself. It’s not my idea of what I want. But isn’t that just the irony of it-the plan that I set, what I want. God has a different idea for me. The best I can do is pray for guidance, for strength, and for peace with what I do. I have to think that no matter what path I choose (mine or God’s) He will never give up, that one day, He will call again and I will be faced with the same decision to make.
-Jenni
What a thought-provoking question!! I feel sure that I rarely do exactly what God wants me to do - but I keep trying and praying to be able to do so. A couple statements from a prayer by Thomas Merton are quite reassuring to me in this matter:"..But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire."
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