5 Things That Are Keeping You From God's Will

What keeps us from God’s will?

I’m sure there’s much more to say on this, but I wanted to address five categories.

1. Pride

Is there anything we won’t stoop to? Is there any place we won’t go?

As the rich young ruler asked Jesus, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” (Matt 19:16). Already the wrong question. When Jesus lists some of the Ten Commandments, in addition to “love your neighbor as yourself,” the man replies simply, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?”

Jesus then gives him one more piece of counsel: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matt. 19:21). And he went away sad, “because he had great wealth.”

In his mind, Jesus had asked too much. There was a sacrifice he was unwilling to make. There was a love that took first place. As his example illustrates, pride blinds us to the long-term, the greater thing, and to what’s truly important.

2. Insecurity

Pride can be defined as “the quality of having an excessively high opinion of oneself or one’s importance.” Insecurity is defined as “uncertainty or anxiety about oneself,” or self-doubt. Both involve thinking too much about ourselves and prevent us from wholeheartedly loving and serving others.

Insecurity is being mastered by what other people think and relying on something we don’t want to let go of. Galatians 1:10 is highly relevant: “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Insecurity happens, to quote Ed Welch, when people are big and God is small, when we find security in ourselves, a skill or talent, the people we know, or the work we do but not in Christ. Our foundation and identity are shaky.

Not surprisingly, insecurity is closely linked to something else: fear.

3. Fear

While insecurity does overlap with fear, especially a fear of rejection, I’m thinking here of fear of the future and fear of failure. What will happen if...? How do I know that...?

Fear has been said to be false evidence appearing real. We let a fear of the future and of the unknown paralyze us. We fail to trust God’s promise of provision, that He’ll meet our needs according to His riches (Rom. 4:19). We fear not having control or certainty, and it keeps us from perhaps taking that risk God is calling us to.

In Joshua 3, Israel under Joshua’s command is preparing to cross the Jordan. There’s just one problem: It’s at flood stage. Yet as soon as the priests who carry the ark reach the Jordan and their feet touch the water’s edge, the water from upstream stops flowing and “piles up in a heap” a great distance away (Josh. 3:15-16). God had promised to make a way, but the priests with the ark of the covenant had to take the first step.

Second Corinthians 3:5 says that we are not competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. Fear is a natural human emotion. It’s good in that it makes us think twice and can keep us from danger and folly. It can also renew our dependence on God.

At the same time, fear can be an obstacle. We are to “fear” the Lord and Him alone. Fear can be good, but it can also compete with our faith in God. The priests in Joshua 3 chose faith. We can as well. If God is for us, who can be against us (Rom. 8:31)? If it’s wisdom we need, God invites us to ask Him, and He gives generously to all (Jas. 1:5).

4. Busyness

Busyness—having other priorities, activities, programs, or plans that get in the way—can also keep us from God’s will.

Earlier this year I wrote a post on not “gleaning to the edge of your field” (Lev. 23:22) and leaving room for God’s divine appointments. Busyness can easily become an excuse and is sadly too often worn as a badge of honor. Being “busy,” we assume, means that we’re important, that the world can’t do without us. Yet by not hurrying we make ourselves available to God.

Just a few weeks ago I needed to drop by the craft store for something specific. It would be an in-and-out trip. As I neared my destination, I noticed a woman kneeling on the ground, apparently struggling to read the labels on some paints. I wondered if I could help.

What started as a casual offer soon turned into an almost hour-long conversation. She was newly widowed and had recently moved to the area after a tragic accident. I was honestly surprised to learn how much we had in common, including the fact that we shared a love for God and His Word.

How often do I miss out because I’m “idly busy”?

I think of Luke 9 and would-be followers of Jesus. One potential disciple says eagerly, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus doesn’t turn him away but paints him a realistic picture. Discipleship isn’t glamorous, and there will be sacrifices involved.

The second man is invited to follow Jesus but prioritizes other responsibilities, other good things (“Lord, first let me go and bury my father”). In other words, let me wait until my father has died, which could be years away. It’s not that I don’t want to follow you. It’s just that I can’t do it now.

Yet another declares, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” I will follow you, but first. This is similar to the last one in that there’s a lack of commitment. There are no competing obligations, but there’s still a delay.

The desire is understandable, but as Charles Spurgeon notes, “O young man, when you are thinking of leaving the world, be afraid of these farewells! They have been the ruin of hundreds of hopeful people. They have been almost persuaded; but they have gone to their old companions just to give them the last kiss, and the last shake of the hand, and we have not seen anything more of them.”

5. Laziness

Like the rest of these, laziness too is rooted in selfishness. Either we loathe to give up our idleness or we might as well not try since someone else could do it better.

Laziness, or idleness, not only keeps us from God’s will but can easily lead us into sin. Perhaps the best example of this is David in 2 Samuel 11, after which his entire reign quickly goes downhill. He sends Joab and the entire Israelite army off to war. “But David remained in Jerusalem.” What would happen next would result in David breaking virtually all the Ten Commandments and spell disaster for his family and his kingdom. And it all began in idleness.

Perhaps a distinction between laziness and rest is in order. Laziness is not rest. Rest is God-focused and prepares us for the next leg. Laziness is self-focused and constantly looking for excuses.

R. C. Sproul once described what he saw as the real problem: “We fail in our duty to study God’s Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy.” What a diagnosis.

Each one of these five, in way or another, is a form of disobedience, lovelessness, or idolatry. Our reputation, our comfort, our future, our sin, our security, and ourselves we somehow allow to get in the way of what truly is God’s best.

What is God’s will? That’s a big topic, but Romans 12:1-2 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 are a good place to start. Read God’s Word and pray. Follow in the footsteps of the One who came humbly as a babe. And give in to God.