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People are under the impression that they can do everything by themselves. In actuality, they can do nothing without God’s help. If God does not give us rain when the farmland is parched and cracked like a turtle’s shell, who on earth can provide such a huge amount of water to all of the mountains and fields? Although a man may have much knowledge, skill and experience in farming, he cannot grow a single crop if it doesn’t rain. Considering this fact, we can realize yet again that our God is truly great because He has created every kind of plant and tree, while simultaneously providing everything they need in order to grow.
It seems that we have taken the grace and blessings, which God freely gives us every day, for granted. We should realize God’s profound providence and give thanks to God all the time. Additionally, we should always live according to the will of God, not according to our own will or thoughts.
Those With Childish Faith Try to Do Things Their Own Way
The words “according to my will” implicitly mean, “Follow my will.” Alternatively, the expression “according to Father’s will” shows our commitment to follow God’s will. Most people tend to insist on their own way, as opposed to trying to follow God’s will. They want the people around them to follow their will, and they easily fall into the error of trying to do everything their own way, even though it does not benefit their soul.
Our own evil desires lead us to act according to our own will. When we follow the will of Heavenly Father, instead of our own will or desires, we can be said to have fully understood the way of the New Covenant. Which path should we take when we stand at the crossroads of our will and God’s will in our life? Let us see directly through the Bible which path God wants us to follow.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 1 Co 13:11
In the Bible, sometimes a child is described as a symbol of humility and obedience; however, “a child” in the above verse is not being referred to in a positive context. Most children are self-centered, and they do not think about the difficult circumstances or situations of others. In reality, the majority of children only seek to satisfy their own desires. Whenever they are hungry, they start crying for milk. When they see their favorite toy in a store, they continuously pester their parents to buy it for them right away. If their parents do not satisfy their request, then they will continue to cry while persistently asking for it. Through constant crying or complaint, they try to get what they want, even if it hurts their parents’ hearts. Essentially, children ask their parents to do everything according to their own will.
When we were children, we talked, thought, and reasoned like children; however, when we became adults, we put childish ways behind us. Once people grow to become mature adults, they feel ashamed and guilty about the way they behaved in their past, reflecting upon how they would pester their parents to buy them whatever they wanted.
We should never be childish in our faith. Children should continue to grow until they become adults.
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Heb 5:13–14
Although a man may have maintained his faith for a long period of time, if he continuously lives apart from the teachings of the Bible, regarding them as something strange or uncomfortable, he is no different than an infant who lives on milk. He is not acquainted with the teachings about righteousness. This type of person will always remain childish in their way of thinking and understanding.
We need to deeply consider whether or not we have wanted everyone around us to adapt to our ways and perspectives throughout our life of faith. If we have, then we should throw away those childish thoughts and behaviors immediately. We should become mature enough to follow the will of Heavenly Father with an upright faith, having trained our senses to distinguish good from evil. Jesus Christ followed the will of Heavenly Father until the very moment He died on the cross. In this respect, His life is the perfect example for us to follow.
Those With Mature Faith Follow and Fulfill the Will of Father
God came to this earth in the name of Jesus 2,000 years ago. When He came to this earth in the flesh, He set an example showing us how we should serve our heavenly parents, God the Father and God the Mother, as Their mature children.
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Lk 22:42–44
Luke 22 describes Jesus praying on the Mount of Olives at night after celebrating the Passover. In Jesus’ prayer, we can see two expressions: “my will” and “yours [Father’s will].” Jesus already knew that He would have to suffer on the cross the following day, but He only asked for Father’s will, not His will, to be done.
Jesus is God in nature. Despite being God, He chose to come to this earth in the flesh and offered that kind of prayer to God, putting Himself in the position of the Son. He did this to set the example that we should follow as God’s children (Jn 13:15).
We are now dwelling in Zion, where our Heavenly Father and Mother are with us and guiding us; however, we are still in need of refinement in some aspects of our daily lives. Even though we know that we should act according to the will of Father and Mother, we sometimes try to implement our own will and only ask God to fulfill our desires. If we behave in this way, it proves that we are still stuck in childish ways of thinking, which cause us to remain as incomplete beings.
From this very moment forward, we need to be mature enough to pray that the Father’s will be done in every situation, not our own will, following the example of Jesus who obeyed the will of the Father even to the point of death. What would people think if a grown man spoke and acted like a child? They would give him a strange look and question why he was acting in such an immature manner. It is the same with us spiritually. Do you think that we can become spiritually mature beings simply because we have believed in God for a long time? Not at all. We need to put aside all of our childish ways: speaking, thinking, and reasoning like a child. It is only when we put all of these ways behind us that we can become spiritually mature.
Those Who Follow the Lamb Wherever He Goes
The Apostle John was given a prophetic vision of God leading a group of people, who follow Him wherever He goes, along the path to eternal salvation.
These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. Rev 14:4
The redeemed are those who follow the Lamb wherever He leads them. They never move ahead of the Lamb, nor do they make others follow their will.
Why do you think they never seek their own will? It is because they are spiritually mature, having constantly trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. As a result, they are no longer spiritual infants. If each of them were to insist on their own way, there would be thousands of completely different ways rooted in divided opinions; however, they choose to always follow the will of Heavenly Father, which enables all of them to become one in heart and mind. Once our obedience becomes complete in this way, the gospel will be preached to the entire world, in accordance with the will of Heavenly Father and Mother.
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. 2 Co 10:4–6
Our obedience to God’s will is an expression of our commitment to follow the will of Heavenly Father, not our own will. I believe that when we all become mature enough to obey God’s will by thinking, reasoning and behaving like spiritual adults, the gospel work will be completed.
Children always ask their parents to satisfy their own needs and desires. When they are hungry, they cry for milk, regardless of whether their moms are busy, hungry or tired. Those who perished in the desert were as spiritually immature as the youngest of physical children. Throughout their entire desert journey, they only asked God to satisfy all of their needs. They grumbled about not having water to drink and about not having enough food to eat. If they had been spiritually mature, they would have patiently endured all of these circumstances. While traveling through a desert, a child will continue to cry for water when they feel thirsty, but an adult will endure their thirst until they are able to find water. We can no longer afford to remain as spiritual infants. If our faith is not mature enough to completely follow the will of Heavenly Father, we will be destroyed in the end, just as the Israelites were finally destroyed in the desert.
Please reflect upon yourself at the end of each day. Ask yourself: “Did I try to do everything according to my own will, or did I make every effort to follow the will of Heavenly Father and Mother today?” If you ask yourself these questions, you will realize whether you are still childish in your faith or spiritually mature enough to digest solid food, as those who follow Heavenly Father and Mother wherever They go, no matter the circumstance.
The Bible testifies that God will punish every act of disobedience once our obedience becomes complete. Therefore, we must be born again through the New Covenant. Those who are born again and carry out the will of Heavenly Father and Mother can see the Kingdom of God (Jn 3:3; Mt 7:21).
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 1 Co 10:12
In order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must have mature faith. The Bible clearly states, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” We need to examine ourselves to see whether or not we are still insisting on our own ways with a childish mindset. If this is the case, we must rid ourselves of this habit immediately and make every effort to have a mature faith by living according to the will of Heavenly Father and Mother, not our own will.
The Providence of Nature and Obedience to God
I once read an essay, and I was very impressed by the following quote: “Trees know their place and are satisfied with their given conditions. They do not complain about being what they are, and never say, ‘Why am I planted here, instead of over there?’ ”
Trees are content with themselves, whatever the circumstances. Even if you plant a pine tree on a lonely island, the tree will never complain to you about being alone. Every single tree is content with exactly where it has been planted. It does not matter whether the tree is planted in a barren land with minimal resources or in fertile soil where it receives an abundant amount of nourishment. A tree will never complain about being where it is. This is true for every tree that exists: Whether it is a pine tree, an azalea tree or a forsythia tree, every single one of them is perfectly content in its given circumstance.
It is not only trees and plants but also animals such as birds and fish that never complain. Every living thing in nature submits to the providence of God. True obedience is to follow the order established by God in its entirety. What God wants from us is not blind obedience or faith, but true obedience from a sincere heart and mind. God wants us to correctly realize why we should obey His will and believe in Him as we follow Him wherever He goes.
If we think, speak, and reason like a child, it will be very difficult to follow the will of Heavenly Father. Following God’s will requires significant effort on our part. Obedience is a virtue that we must have while living under the New Covenant. Only when we follow the will of Heavenly Father can we fulfill the biblical testimony regarding “those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes and are purchased from among men.”
God gives us the proper amount of rain and sunshine, moderately nourished soil, the adequate types of seeds, and so on. Through all of these things, we acquire the necessary amount of food and maintain a living, don’t we? Without God we cannot live. Everything we have comes from God.
We should have a full understanding of God who is so great. The senses of those who are spiritually mature have been trained through constant practice to distinguish between good and evil. If we fully understand this, we should always follow the will of Heavenly Father and Mother and live for the sole purpose of fulfilling Their will in these last days.
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? 1 Co 4:7
We must always remember that everything we have comes from God. If God were to instantly turn the sun off, human beings would become extinct. If God were to close the faucets in the sky that pour down rain, even if only for a few weeks, the earth would suffer from a severe drought. Although a man may be much of an expert in a certain field, he must realize that everything is only possible with God.
We should not boast about anything, with the exception of boasting about God. Now is the time for us to examine ourselves and assess whether we are following our own will or the will of Heavenly Father and Mother, as we continue in our faith. If we have insisted on our own way with a childish faith, let us rid ourselves immediately of that childish behavior and mindset, making every effort to become the mature and complete beings Heavenly Father and Mother want us to be. I earnestly ask all of you to seek the will of the Spirit and the Bride, our spiritual Father and Mother. Please strive to follow Their will with a mature faith until the end.