ding! -- the Lord's will

I had a pretty significant "ah-ha!" moment reading through a devotional (Utmost for His highest - Jan 2) yesterday morning and wanted to share it.

So here are my thoughts, and I'll start by using an analogy of marriage to present my case.

So as a marriage grows deeper and more intimate, it's many times the man and wife get to a point where they "know what the other is thinking" or easily understand why the other is upset. Growing in such a relationship is a matter of being in the presence of each other for both quality and quantity amounts of time. A husband and wife at this level of relationship don't sit around asking each other questions to reconcile and become closer. "Hey honey, um, did you just get mad again because I left the toilet seat up?" "Well dear, I didn't say I love you when you left for work today, did that somewhat bother you?" "Through thought osmosis, I'm expressing I adore you, but I really felt I didn't need to say it, is that cool?"

Don't get me wrong, questions are part of growing closer, but the intimacy, I think, really comes from spending quality time together where man and wife can soak in who each other are and what they're about as well as an outflow component of doing life together, so that man and wife can see how each other apply their passions and deeply held priorities to the world.

So here's how it hit me clearly.

My tendency with the Lord is to constantly ask "Lord, Lord, what is your will for me today or this month?" "Should I be doing this?" "Should I be initiating this relationship or trying to do this or that?" "Oh Lord, please show me a sign somehow in the amazing ways you work..." I ask and ponder these questions, but I now really don't think that's the best way for me to discern Christ's will.

My realization was this: I will find out much more what the Lord's will for my life is by coming to Jesus' feet to spend intimate time with Him, not asking Him questions about what our relationship looks like or should look like or what His will is in this or that. As I spend more time with Him, I'll know good and well what He desires.