Whose will?

HAVE you ever had a great urge to have your way in some project, not necessarily for any personal, selfish reason but just because it was so obviously the best solution? Have you thought, ``If only everyone would just do what I say, it would be so much better for all concerned''? When feeling an urge to push ahead with our own way, it is helpful, though it may be difficult, to pause and turn to God for guidance. In Psalms we read, ``Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.''1 These words grew out of the Psalmist's experience of God's unfailing help and guidance.

But can we take them as applying to us, now? Yes, and the Bible tells us the reason why. ``The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.''2 Because our true being is God's spiritual offspring, His image, we're inseparable from His care, and we can therefore trust that our reliance on Him will bring out the proof of that fact.

Jesus' teachings include the truth that God is the Father of us all. And we read further along in the New Testament, ``Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.... Beloved, now are we the sons of God.''3 We can trust our Father to meet our needs, and as we humbly listen in prayer for His guidance and follow it, we will see harmony coming into our experience, for His will is always good.

Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded Christian Science, defines will as ``...the might and wisdom of God.'' But she also says in this definition, ``Will, as a quality of so-called mortal mind, is a wrong-doer....''4 And in another place she writes, ``The power of the human will should be exercised only in subordination to Truth; else it will misguide the judgment and free the lower propensities.''5 When doing our best to be guided by God, divine Truth, we are not only protected from self-will in ourselves but from the effects of self-will in others. For example, a man was buying a house in a great hurry because of his financial position and the needs of his family. He tried by strong and urgent means to speed the legal business through by a certain date but finally admitted failure. A person involved in the situation began to pray. She saw that because God alone truly governs man, self-will had no legitimate, Godderived power to take over and upset things for everyone. She realized that all details could safely be entrusted to divine wisdom, no matter how tangled the difficulty seemed to be. As a result of this prayer, this turning from willful planning to trust in God's will, the move took place on the desired day.

If God is caring for all of His creation as our Father-Mother -- and He is -- why aren't things going well for everyone all the time in every part of the world? Another verse from Psalms may provide some of the answer: ``I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.''6 We have a responsibility individually and collectively to live in harmony with the divine will and thereby prove the spiritual fact of His constant care. Certainly our individual efforts to obey His law of goodness and purity bless us and, in some measure, those around the world who may be victimized by the brutality of willful, carnal thinking.

Even very small decisions should be subject to God's will, His wisdom. Recently I wrote what I thought was a humorous letter. When I was about to send it, something made me pause. I turned to divine Mind for guidance and instantly knew that I should not send the letter. Putting aside self-will, I tore it up. Soon I could see the wisdom of this.

Every aspect of our lives is blessed as we pray as Jesus did, ``Thy will be done.''7

1Psalms 37:5. 2Romans 8:16. 3I John 3:1, 2. 4Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 597. 5Ibid., p. 206. 6Psalms 40:8. 7Matthew 6:10.

You can find more articles like this one in the Christian Science Sentinel, a weekly magazine. DAILY BIBLE VERSE: Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2