What a blessing for all of us to have the opportunity to share our thoughts and insights with one another. I am humbled at the thought, and I hope that I will be able to say something that will be beneficial to my dear sisters. My desire, and I know the desire of all our hearts, is to walk worthy.

The verse which comes to mind is from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 1-2. “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering…” Walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called entails seeking His will faithfully through His Word, walking in His will with humility, and accepting His will with gratefulness and longsuffering. Though the Lord has been gracious in drawing me to Himself through these disciplines, I will confess right up front that I often fall quite short.

Our vocation varies with our station in life – as daughters, sisters, mothers, fellow laborers - but our obligation does not. In Romans 12:2, Paul says, “And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” God desires that we renew our minds through fellowship with Him in prayer, study, memorization and meditation. Nothing new here, but the Lord has made it clear that faithfulness in this matter is of highest regard, and that each of these facets of renewal is of utmost importance. Nothing here is optional. I have become increasingly aware that the quality of my walk, as well as my joy in life, varies in direct proportion to the time I spend with the Lord in personal devotion. I find that my natural disposition requires me to spend much time in His company.

I have come to believe that the only way to please God is to walk in His will with humility. Paul says in Romans 12, verse 1 this time, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Leviticus 20:7 says,” Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am the Lord your God.” It has been my experience that personal holiness comes only with the next section of the Ephesians verse, which admonishes us to walk “with all lowliness and meekness.” Brother Kevin recently spoke of humility as being the first step in revival - “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves…” 2 Chronicles 7:14. And this, from the Lord of lords, in Matthew 11:29 - “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.” Micah 6:8 says, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.”

It is easy for me to be humble before God. How could I not be? The Bible says that my life is but a vapor; my body and my mind give way before my eyes, my resolve often fails me. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Rom 7:18. What has been more difficult has been manifesting that humility in my daily life. Some time ago, the Lord led me to begin my day with prayers of submission and humility. One of the things I pray daily is Colossians 1:9-11, in a personalized sort of way. Something like this: “I desire that I might be filled with the knowledge of your will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that I might walk worthy of you, Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of you; strengthened with all might, according to your glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” I pray these and other Scriptures for myself, as well as for my family and for my church. I pray in a posture of humility - on my knees or on my face before the Lord. This posture helps me to remember who I am and who He is. Starting my day in this fashion has been such a blessing in my life. It has given me a perspective that I have not been able to attain in any other way. It has helped me to develop a spirit of humility and love before my Lord and my brethren.

The last aspect of God’s will that that I would like to touch on is acceptance “with longsuffering and joyfulness.” The Lord allows much suffering, pain, loss, indignity, and rejection into our lives, and as difficult as it is, we should try to be grateful. There is nothing here that He did not personally suffer when He humbled Himself to save us. The pain that God has allowed in our lives keeps us on our knees and ever closer to our Lord. Though it seems counter intuitive, I make a point to thank God for the trials. I try to think of them as opportunities, rather than difficulties. They make us grateful for the ways in which the Lord has otherwise blessed us, as well as allowing opportunity for our lives to be a witness to God’s mercy and grace.

As Job, a humble and diligent seeker of God’s will, expressed in Job chapter 1, verse 21, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”