The Power Is Pre-loaded In The Desire

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. [Philippians 2.13]

Paul's statement here, made the church at Philippi is encouraging.  I think we all need to remember this statement often.  There are times when we forget God - all of us do it - and we need to remind ourselves and each other that God is at work!

First of all, God gives us the desire to do what pleases Him.  Plainly put, we cannot even muster the initiative to please God - it is His work that even puts that desire in us!  It is in our best interest to stay mindful that, left to ourselves, we do not desire God.  It is only pride at work when we think for a moment that the desire to serve God is anything of our own volition.  It simply is not.

Secondly, and once we recognize that God is the One Who gives is the desire to please Him, we must rest in confidence that the actual power to please Him comes from Him as well!  That is the sum of God's work in our lives - He puts both the desire and the power to please Him in place in us.

I don't mean to harp on a bygone subject, but this is precisely how God's wisdom is demonstrated to the unseen rulers and authorities mentioned is past days' posts!

It is quite comforting to think that the desire that God puts in us to please Him, whatever it may be - and whatever gifting or calling it may require, is pre-loaded (if you will) with all the necessary power  (and more) to accomplish the desired outcome.

So, the question begs to be asked, "What desire has God placed in our hearts to please Him?"

It matters not our assessment of whether or not we are equipped to please God in accomplishing the task - the desire tells us that the power is there to do it!  All we have to do (like it is a small thing) is evaluate what we understand to be desires in us to please God and then act upon them.

I guess the real question looms however, "Do we desire to please God?"

Father, in asking myself the questions above, I realize that I need to fine-tune my spiritual senses!  I think that I (like many others probably) have desires to please You, but simply have become calloused to considering that I could set out to accomplish the task of those desires because, for some reason, I have erroneously thought the power to do so was my responsibility and I was therefore lacking.  Please forgive me for being so proud.