Signs of doing God's will

[cmscms]

I am not sure exactly how to phrase this, but I am wondering if there are ever outward sings we are doing God’s will.

For example, if a person has a bad diet, they would probably be overweight. And if someone has a healthy body size, they probably have a good diet.

So I am wondering if there are outward signs we are doing God’s will. For example, someone may be a good worker but someone else who is friends with the boss may get the promotion. From the outside, it would appear the good worker is not so good but that is not the real case.

Or if someone has a lot of friends, it could be concluded they are a nice person, but maybe people are just hanging around for their money.

Comments and opinions on this would be great

THanks

CM

 

[jpjd]

That would be a great question for a spiritual director. (Not that I have one…wish I did!)

It seems to me that the signs of doing God’s will are internal peace and external fruit.

 

[Edmundus1581]

This is the first thing that comes to mind…

*But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. * Galatians 5:22-23

HTH

 

[ForHisNamesSake]

I’m not any one to give great direction on this, but I felt compelled to say that, when your heart is restless it means your standing in His way ~ He troubles you for a reason, He want’s better for you, you just might be a little afraid to step out of your comfrot zone…tested by Him…or tempted by the Devil (the latter is more common than you think).

 

[vppoole]

I’m sure there’s a saint who has put all this and more in better and fewer words, but I hope this helps anyway.

While there is much that we cannot see about the inner life of other people, I think the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit would be good indicators of someone’s (and our own) growth in holiness by following God’s will.

They are: charity (or love), joy, peace, patience, benignity (or kindness), goodness, longanimity (or long suffering), mildness, faith, modesty, continency, and chastity

However, those qualities take time to truly see in others and it is far too easy to be hasty and jump to conclusions. Following God’s will certainly brings about blessings to us; however, we might very well not recognize them as such, because they come as God gives them in His time and in the manner He wishes. Is a businessman’s increased wealth a sign of God’s blessing on him for being responsible with less, or is it the result of cheating others their due? Is a poor, ill, homeless person living on the street because he squandered away his inheritance, or because he gave all he had to the service of others and to follow Christ closer?

You cannot make any conclusion based on just mere outward signs without knowing something of them personally. Our Lord himself looked haggard and torn on the cross, and yet He was perfectly faithful to the will of the Father. Outward signs are only a part of the reality of that person’s relationship with God.

Pax!

 

[forhim_123]

I am not sure exactly how to phrase this, but I am wondering if there are ever outward sings we are doing God’s will.

For example, if a person has a bad diet, they would probably be overweight. And if someone has a healthy body size, they probably have a good diet.

So I am wondering if there are outward signs we are doing God’s will. For example, someone may be a good worker but someone else who is friends with the boss may get the promotion. From the outside, it would appear the good worker is not so good but that is not the real case.

Or if someone has a lot of friends, it could be concluded they are a nice person, but maybe people are just hanging around for their money.

Comments and opinions on this would be great

THanks

CM

Thanks for posting this. It’s something I need to think about but I didn’t realize I need to think about it. Praise God! I have no insight into this so I’m thankful for the responses.

 

[Castello]

This is the first thing that comes to mind…

*But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. * Galatians 5:22-23

HTH

Exactly.

One other thing, Scripture tells us how the world will know that we are Christians, by how we love one another. Also that our good works will cause the world to give glory to God!

If you have the fruit and you are such a walking example of God’s love that non-Christians want to be Christians because of our example, then, we know we are doing God’s will.

We may not see the results of our example in this life, but, it is something to strive toward.