The Will that Abides
Resting in the quiet certainty of God’s finished work.
Devotional Credit: Oswald Chambers, “Is God’s Will My Will?” from My Utmost for His Highest (Modern Classic Edition)
Photo Credit: Unsplash
God’s will is not a distant mystery we must chase. It is the very heartbeat of Jesus made alive within us. Chambers reminds us that sanctification is not something we achieve or even request endlessly; it is the settled reality of Christ living His holy life in and through the believer. The real question, then, is not whether God will sanctify us, but whether we will yield to what He has already accomplished in His Son.
When Paul wrote that “it is God’s will that you should be sanctified,” he was not pointing to a moral ladder we must climb. He was revealing a life already provided through union with Jesus. The Holy Spirit brings this truth from doctrine to experience, not by improving our old self but by expressing the new life within us.
The abiding life is not longing for transformation, but resting in it. It is the quiet, continuous agreement of the heart with what God has already done. The believer’s role is simple trust—trust that the Lord who indwells will manifest His holiness as we depend on Him moment by moment.
When Chambers warns us not to “long to be sanctified,” he is urging us to stop striving after what has been fully given. Sanctification is not an achievement but a Person. The life of Jesus Himself is our sanctification.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I have placed you in My Son, and His life is now your life. My will is not hidden from you; it is already unfolding in you. You were not called to manufacture holiness, but to walk in the holiness that My Spirit produces. The work you long for is already finished. Rest in Me.
Let your heart agree with what I have done. Yield your will, and you will discover Mine at work within you. I have written My law of love upon your heart, not as a rule to follow, but as the rhythm of My life within you. When you trust Me, I express the likeness of Jesus through you.
Every act of obedience is the echo of grace. Every quiet surrender is My Son living through you. Do not try to become what you already are in Him. Abide, and I will make visible the life that is already yours.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section:
1 Thessalonians 4:3, Philippians 2:13, John 15:4-5, Galatians 2:20, Hebrews 10:14, Romans 6:11, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Colossians 1:27
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine a seed already containing the full design of the tree. It does not strain to grow; it simply abides in the soil, responding to the warmth and moisture that surround it. So it is with your life in Jesus. His holiness already resides within you, waiting to unfold as you rest in Him.
When irritation rises, or pride whispers for control, pause inwardly and turn your attention to the indwelling Lord. Instead of trying to “be better,” quietly acknowledge His presence. You might say, “Lord, I rest in You to express Your patience through me right now.” As you do, His life becomes the reality expressed in the moment, and holiness ceases to be a goal—it becomes the natural fruit of abiding trust.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that Your will is already alive within me through Jesus. You have made me holy by uniting me with Your Son. I rest in Your perfect work, trusting You to express His life in my words, actions, and thoughts. I praise You that sanctification is not my striving but Your life in me, complete and secure forever.