For His Will | Are You Praying

*This was a post I was not planning on writing, but God had other plans which seems fitting for this post. 

I finished reading the book She Said Yes, it’s written by Misty Bernall, the mother of Cassie Bernall. Cassie was killed in the shooting at Columbine, April 20th, 1999. I’ve been attached to Cassie’s story ever since I got the book when I was about 13 or 14 years old.

Cassie’s story is she died by a gunshot to the head because she was asked if she believed in Christ, and she answered yes. But in fact, as her mother shares her daughter’s story, Cassie’s story is a lot bigger than her last moment. In fact, in the years leading up to her death, God was preparing Cassie, in an incredible way, for the courage and strength to not deny Him in the face of death.

Cassie’s teen years began pretty dark. She was in the wrong crowd. A group of peers who celebrated darkness, satanic occult, and were considering murdering teachers at their school and parents. Cassie desired love. She fought loneliness, but this wickedness in her life, the evil she allowed in unknowingly, only gave her more emptiness and longing. It did not fulfill her.

God strengthened her parents, and I encourage parents to read this story on what they did, and how difficult it was. Cassie eventually found the love of Christ and repentence. From then on she wanted to focus on His will, His plan for her, even when it was hard. It did not come easy to this Christian teen, as it comes easily to no one. She desired to follow His path for her because Christ died for her sins, she wanted to live her life for Him and be able to die for Him as well. 

(NIV) Luke 9:23, “Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.”

I share this story because I was reminded of this truth to seek God’s will as Cassie did. It was something Cassie was being prepared for, to understand what it meant to die daily, every day, to the flesh of this world for Christ. It is through dying daily to our own wants and desires, giving up our dreams and our goals for our life that we then start to see God’s plan for us. (Which eventually turns into new dreams and goals focused with His plan) 

The mist clears and a new map is placed in our hands by Christ Himself. The old map, constantly redrawn with fresh ink every day by our hand, beckons us to return and follow it. But Christ says, “Follow Me,” instead.

In order to be able to follow the will of God, instead of our own will, and what we desire, we must die daily to this flesh. We must follow through with the road map God gave us in scriptures. The way of Christ is made clear.

In the same way Christ able to follow God’s will for Him.

It all starts with prayer. 

(NLT) Thessalonians 5:17-18, “Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Prayer begins the surrender of our time and doing what we want. It makes God a priority. Prayer forces us to focus on the Lord. Prayer must come from the core, the root, of our soul bearing a sincerity to seek Him out.

(NIV) Jeremiah 29:12-13, “Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”

This is the message given to the exiles. Those who because they failed to turn to God, and turned to their flesh, their desires, their gods, they were going into captivity. But God tells them He is still there for them.

He is STILL there for us when we fall short. We need to go to Him. 

We need to call upon Him not only daily, but throughout the day, to achieve a strong bond with Him. We can’t learn what His plans are for us if we seek our own sufficiency. Prayer is the stepping stone. It’s opening the door to the Lord, not self. We must seek God with everything we do, our goals, our dreams, our plans. It may not be what He wants for us, and trust me, He makes things clear. Sometimes it will hurt when God’s plan is not what we think it is. But He always has a reason.

There are things He will shut down when we think it is part of His plan. Good things that could benefit others, but it may not be His time for us to go out and do these things. This is a prayer we need to be conscious of daily, and one I want to work on.

 Prayer: Lord, Jesus. Please guide my walk and help me be aware of what You want me to do. Make Your paths clear and direct me with Your truth, help me cling to it. Help me not desire the way I want to go, but where You want to lead me.

If I am to be used out of my comfort zone, please give me the strength and assurance this is what You want. Help me be reminded throughout the day why it is important I seek You in everything. Help me let go of the control I want in my life.

Give me Your strength to follow what You want me to do for Your kingdom. The courage to walk forward and the faith to believe in the unseen and the calling You have on my life. Help me let go of my worry and fear of the future. Help me let go of the things I cannot control. Help me trust that everything is in Your hand.

Rebuke me, Lord, when I step out and try to stand in front of You. Thank You, for loving me when I do not understand and am an impatient child. I love You, Lord. Amen.

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Comment Below:

Are you familiar with Cassie’s story?

Monthly Scripture – (NKJ) Proverbs 18:13, “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him.”

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