God's Will

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dskysmine

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Hello everyone,

I’m having a hard time understanding God’s Will. I’m constantly reading in the lives of saints that we have to “kill” our will, to dismiss it, to save our lives by abandoning in God’s Will… and in the other hand how can I not see my wish to cherish this world as not being God’s Will. It seems like I have to live my whole life just to get to the other and I’m not supposed to cherish anything here. It doesn’t make sense to me!
God created the world. God created our lives and He saw it was good. Why should I not cherish life? It’s driving me insane cause every time I’m playing with my brother, or watching a film, or eating a cookie I feel like I’m not doing God’s Will.
Am I being nuts or what?
 
Well, of course we’re supposed to cherish life. To do otherwise would be to deny the goodness of existence-even eternal life begins here, after all. And the goods that exist here are also to be valued-seen as reflections of Gods goodness. We’re simply to have things in order-cherishing God as the first good above all other goods-and He promises to help us get it all in order!
 
fhansen said:
Well, of course we’re supposed to cherish life. To do otherwise would be to deny the goodness of existence-even eternal life begins here, after all. And the goods that exist here are also to be valued-seen as reflections of Gods goodness. We’re simply to have things in order-cherishing God as the first good above all other goods-and He promises to help us get it all in order!
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Is God’s Will that I eat the cake or that I give it away?
Is God’s Will that I watch the news or to go do voluntary work?
Is God’s Will that I go on vacation or that I give that money to the needy?
 
dskysmine said:
Is God’s Will that I eat the cake or that I give it away?
Is God’s Will that I watch the news or to go do voluntary work?
Is God’s Will that I go on vacation or that I give that money to the needy?
Click to expand...
Those are all questions we have to ask ourselves on a daily basis. He leaves it up to us to decide because He wants our wills freely involved. He’s already revealed His will-that we act according to the standard of love for Him and neighbor. But He also knows our weaknesses, and according to the New Covenant promises, helps us get there but will never force us. We either persevere in cooperating with His helping us grow in love, or we can turn from it. It’s always a struggle but it gets easier.
 
dskysmine said:
Is God’s Will that I eat the cake or that I give it away?
Is God’s Will that I watch the news or to go do voluntary work?
Is God’s Will that I go on vacation or that I give that money to the needy?
Click to expand...
No-one can tell you the answers to those questions. Only you can discern the path God wishes for you, by reading His word and praying and keeping your relationship with the Lord strong. There is nothing wrong with cherishing the things we enjoy in this life, such as enjoying time with our family and friends. The thing to be warned against is putting to much emphasis on material things and forgetting about trying to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.
 
dskysmine said:
Hello everyone,

I’m having a hard time understanding God’s Will. I’m constantly reading in the lives of saints that we have to “kill” our will, to dismiss it, to save our lives by abandoning in God’s Will… and in the other hand how can I not see my wish to cherish this world as not being God’s Will. It seems like I have to live my whole life just to get to the other and I’m not supposed to cherish anything here. It doesn’t make sense to me!
God created the world. God created our lives and He saw it was good. Why should I not cherish life? It’s driving me insane cause every time I’m playing with my brother, or watching a film, or eating a cookie I feel like I’m not doing God’s Will.
Am I being nuts or what?
Click to expand...
Living on earth with an ultimate goal of getting into heaven does not mean not to cherish this God given life. It means to know where we are going so we may begin our journey with the end in mind. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and we have all the responsibilities to take good care of ourselves both physically and spiritually, in other words, to cherish our life, the God’s temple.

To do God’s will does not mean not to have our own desires. It means to put God’s will above our own will. ***Psalm 37:4 says: Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. ***God never said not to have our own desires. If so, He would not have given us free will. The meaning of denying ourselves is to always want God’s will above our own will, it means to submit our own will to God’s will.

In order to know God’s will, we need to be familiar with God’s voice. In order to hear God’s voice, we need to know God and his commands well. Scripture reading(God’s Word) and good prayer life(relationship with God) are the right way to go.

Hope this helps.
 
Do you guys not see it?
We all know what’s God’s Will: To love the other, giving our lives for them.
Well… to do that I have to stop loving myself… which means: giving all my money and becoming like madre Teresa or something like that. I don’t like that kind of life. That is MY will… not God’s! God’s Will is to do it! See where I am going with this?
According to God’s Will we shouldn’t even have money… Working for money is MY will, once again. Playing music is MY will. Studying is MY will. God’s Will is for me to anihilate MY will. Understand?
 
dskysmine said:
Do you guys not see it?
We all know what’s God’s Will: To love the other, giving our lives for them.
Well… to do that I have to stop loving myself… which means: giving all my money and becoming like madre Teresa or something like that. I don’t like that kind of life. That is MY will… not God’s! God’s Will is to do it! See where I am going with this?
According to God’s Will we shouldn’t even have money… Working for money is MY will, once again. Playing music is MY will. Studying is MY will. God’s Will is for me to anihilate MY will. Understand?
Click to expand...
Well, maybe it’s your will to believe this but this is not Catholic teaching. Within limits, Gods’ will is different for us all so we can’t be limitin Him. And Gods will is not to annihilate yourself or your will. It’s to get you to see the perfection of His-and so agree with it-with yours still intact but smarter than before. These questions aren’t always easily answered on our own. Learn to trust the CC. This is from the Catechism:

**901 "Hence the laity, dedicated as they are to Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit, are marvelously called and prepared so that even richer fruits of the Spirit maybe produced in them. For all their works, prayers, and apostolic undertakings, family and married life, daily work, relaxation of mind and body, if they are accomplished in the Spirit - indeed even the hardships of life if patiently born - all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. In the celebration of the Eucharist these may most fittingly be offered to the Father along with the body of the Lord. And so, worshipping everywhere by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God, everywhere offering worship by the holiness of their lives."434 **
 
Hewre’s another one, where balance is called for.

**2536 The tenth commandment forbids greed and the desire to amass earthly goods without limit. It forbids avarice arising from a passion for riches and their attendant power. It also forbids the desire to commit injustice by harming our neighbor in his temporal goods:
When the Law says, "You shall not covet," these words mean that we should banish our desires for whatever does not belong to us. Our thirst for another's goods is immense, infinite, never quenched. Thus it is written: "He who loves money never has money enough."321 **
 
dskysmine said:
Do you guys not see it?
We all know what’s God’s Will: To love the other, giving our lives for them.
Well… to do that I have to stop loving myself… which means: giving all my money and becoming like madre Teresa or something like that. I don’t like that kind of life. That is MY will… not God’s! God’s Will is to do it! See where I am going with this?
According to God’s Will we shouldn’t even have money… Working for money is MY will, once again. Playing music is MY will. Studying is MY will. God’s Will is for me to anihilate MY will. Understand?
Click to expand...
No, God does not want to annihilate our will. He gave us free will for a reason - because He loves us and wants us to have the choice, He wants us to choose His kingdom, not be forced into it. Not all of us are called to the same life as those such as Mother Teresa.
God’s will is not to take away our free will, it is for us to use our will to do His will.
 
dskysmine said:
Is God’s Will that I eat the cake or that I give it away?
Is God’s Will that I watch the news or to go do voluntary work?
Is God’s Will that I go on vacation or that I give that money to the needy?
Click to expand...
As others stated, when it comes to the infinite number of “small” choices we make each and everyday it doesn’t matter. The important thing is whatever we do we do it with love . . . and to be ever mindful of Him throughout. With time and grace, we will learn to listen to our hearts which will tell us the best choice in all of our present moments.

Dave 🙂
 
dskysmine said:
Do you guys not see it?
We all know what’s God’s Will: To love the other, giving our lives for them.
Well… to do that I have to stop loving myself… which means: giving all my money and becoming like madre Teresa or something like that. I don’t like that kind of life. That is MY will… not God’s! God’s Will is to do it! See where I am going with this?
According to God’s Will we shouldn’t even have money… Working for money is MY will, once again. Playing music is MY will. Studying is MY will. God’s Will is for me to anihilate MY will. Understand?
Click to expand...
You are over analyzing this.

Money isn’t evil, it’s necessary. An unhealthy love of money is the root of evil, not the money itself or the good uses it can be put to.

God gives us talents that we can use in His service and for others or we can use them for only our own benefit. Playing music or studying are not evil. The fact that you enjoy them is within God’s will.

Do you say the morning offering, offering all your prayers, works, joys, and suffering to the Father in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary? Begin with this. Don’t try to run before you can crawl.

Perhaps someday God may call on you to radically abandon yourself to His will but if He does that He will also give you the desire and the grace to do it. Trust Him and leave it in His hands for now.

God does not want you to never eat cake or play music. God doesn’t want you to annihilate your will but to gently bring it into conformity to His. Music, work, study, prayer, exercise, etc will help make you into a balanced person who is able to give yourself away in love for others daily.

It is pride that tells us we must be perfect right now or else. It is lack of trust in God that makes us anxious about this. We need to always remember that God is merciful. We must not grieve Him by our lack of trust in His mercy but throw ourselves into it. We must be patient with ourselves and have confidence that He will lead us.

A spiritual director is a great help. Pray for one. In the meantime be calm and trust that God will reveal His will to you. It may not be what you now imagine.
 
dskysmine said:
Hello everyone,

I’m having a hard time understanding God’s Will. I’m constantly reading in the lives of saints that we have to “kill” our will, to dismiss it, to save our lives by abandoning in God’s Will… and in the other hand how can I not see my wish to cherish this world as not being God’s Will. It seems like I have to live my whole life just to get to the other and I’m not supposed to cherish anything here. It doesn’t make sense to me!
God created the world. God created our lives and He saw it was good. Why should I not cherish life? It’s driving me insane cause every time I’m playing with my brother, or watching a film, or eating a cookie I feel like I’m not doing God’s Will.
Am I being nuts or what?
Click to expand...
I think it was St Augustine who wrote about ordered vs disordered love. It’s alright to enjoy some things here but we need to put God above them, to put Him first. I think dying to self, to your own will, means choosing to do God’s will even when you feel like doing something else. It’s about our choices.

God bless
 
Saint Catherine of Siena says specifically we should kill our will “not by half, but fully”.
Saint Paul of the Cross adds: “Whenever we feel the desire to do a will that is not God’s we must make it die.”
John paul the Second also says: “Delivering to God’s Will must be a total Yes. As Paul of Tarsus says «I declare that my word towards you is not one time yes and one time no; Jesus Crist was not yes and no, He was the Yes» (2 Cor 1, 18-19) So, it was a total delivery to the Will of God.”
Job said when he lost his children that “God gave them to me, God took them away”.
How can I kill MY will? How can this not mean that I cannot do anything I like/will/want?
 
dskysmine said:
Saint Catherine of Siena says specifically we should kill our will “not by half, but fully”.
Saint Paul of the Cross adds: “Whenever we feel the desire to do a will that is not God’s we must make it die.”
John paul the Second also says: “Delivering to God’s Will must be a total Yes. As Paul of Tarsus says «I declare that my word towards you is not one time yes and one time no; Jesus Crist was not yes and no, He was the Yes» (2 Cor 1, 18-19) So, it was a total delivery to the Will of God.”
Job said when he lost his children that “God gave them to me, God took them away”.
How can I kill MY will? How can this not mean that I cannot do anything I like/will/want?
Click to expand...
It’s not about denying our will as much as it is about orienting it towards the true highest good:

2**548 Desire for true happiness frees man from his immoderate attachment to the goods of this world so that he can find his fulfillment in the vision and beatitude of God. "The promise [of seeing God] surpasses all beatitude. . . . In Scripture, to see is to possess. . . . Whoever sees God has obtained all the goods of which he can conceive."344
**
 
I have a book recommendation for you. I, too, suffer a lot with worry that I am committing a sin by eating a cookie, etc. I also worry a lot about spending a ton of time in Purgatory. Recently, the Lord led me to a book (recommended by someone on CAF). I am in the process of reading this book and it has helped me overcome my worry that I am not doing God’s will. Here it is:

***Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence ***by Father Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure and Saint Claude de La Colombiere. This is a **MUST **read. I think you’ll find peace by reading this book. It has been a tremendous help to me. It is a fairly short, small book (about 128 pages). One could read it in a day or two. It also has the *Nihil Obstat *and *Imprimatur *designations which means that it has been reviewed and approved by the Church.

houston1
 
dskysmine said:
Hello everyone,

I’m having a hard time understanding God’s Will. I’m constantly reading in the lives of saints that we have to “kill” our will, to dismiss it, to save our lives by abandoning in God’s Will… and in the other hand how can I not see my wish to cherish this world as not being God’s Will. It seems like I have to live my whole life just to get to the other and I’m not supposed to cherish anything here. It doesn’t make sense to me!
God created the world. God created our lives and He saw it was good. Why should I not cherish life? It’s driving me insane cause every time I’m playing with my brother, or watching a film, or eating a cookie I feel like I’m not doing God’s Will.
Am I being nuts or what?
Click to expand...
sounds like you should talk to a priest and get them to explain it to you and help you to get it in to perspective and to help you understand gods will for your life
 
dskysmine said:
Saint Catherine of Siena says specifically we should kill our will “not by half, but fully”.
Saint Paul of the Cross adds: “Whenever we feel the desire to do a will that is not God’s we must make it die.”
John paul the Second also says: “Delivering to God’s Will must be a total Yes. As Paul of Tarsus says «I declare that my word towards you is not one time yes and one time no; Jesus Crist was not yes and no, He was the Yes» (2 Cor 1, 18-19) So, it was a total delivery to the Will of God.”
Job said when he lost his children that “God gave them to me, God took them away”.
How can I kill MY will? How can this not mean that I cannot do anything I like/will/want?
Click to expand...
We deliver everything over to God. Sometimes, actually quite often, He gives some things back to us. You simply cannot assume that everything you want or want to do is against God’s will. But when it comes to a choice between God’s will and our own, that’s where we need to give up our will for His.

Sometimes when you ask if you may have a cookie He will say, “Take two, my dear” and other times the answer is “not now”.

Pray that God will bring you to a spiritual director who can help you in discerning what is His will in your daily life. In the meantime, turn your will to doing your daily duties well, you know this is His will.
 
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