Galatians 5:16 (NLT)
“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
The other day, a coworker asked me what I’d be doing if I wasn’t in the career that I’m in now. Whenever someone asks me a question like this, my mind always goes to the wisdom of Ephesians 1:11 (NLT). It says: “Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” Like many Christians, before I knew God’s Word, I really didn’t have any direction, but I now know that nothing is by chance in the life of a believer. I told my coworker that if I had not submitted to the Will of God, there’s no telling where I’d be, but because of God’s mercy and grace, He has set my feet on a path that blesses me every day.
Many believers struggle with surrendering to God’s Will. They want to be in the driver’s seat of their lives and make their own decisions and choices. The desire to do our own will is strong; it’s a constant pull and fight between our flesh and the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul talks about this in Galatians 5:17 (NLT): “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” Paul is speaking about the internal conflict between right and wrong. Jesus Christ said in John 16:13 that the Spirit will guide us into all truth, always leading us to do what is right and to please God. But the flesh wants what the flesh wants. It craves desires that are temporary and can lead down the path of injuring our relationship with God and hindering our faith.
Mark 14:38 (NLT) says “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” In this verse, Jesus describes that inner conflict between the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit. It’s important that we know the difference between the two, because mistakes can be very costly. Proverbs 14:12 (NLT) tells us, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” The easiest thing to do is to yield to temptation and allow temporary pleasures to steer our decision, but scripture warns against this. Our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us, and He’s given us the gift of Holy Spirit to guide and help keep us on the right path.
When I look back over my life, and ask myself, “Where would I be without God?” The answer is very clear: I would be utterly lost, wandering with no sense of direction, and probably caught up in my own desires and mistakes. God’s guidance is everything to us. He is our sweet anchor and we should be incredibly thankful for His guiding hand. He’s steered me away from trouble more times than I can count. He promises to keep our feet from falling when we trust in Him.
It’s a mistake to think we can make it on our own. We need our Heavenly Father’s help in even the smallest decisions. So often things look to be opportunities when they are tricks and temptations of the enemy, sent to cause harm and set us back. Proverbs 28:26 (NLT) tells us, “Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.” God will keep us safe when we walk in His wisdom and seek Him in all things. Trusting in His guidance keeps us on the right path, protecting us from the dangers we may not even see. By surrendering our will to Him and relying on His Word, we can be assured that His plans for us are always greater and better than anything we could have imagined on our own. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Where Would I Be without God?”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.