Compelled

I recently read something that used the word "compel." It's not a word we use often, but I like the word. You know, there are just some words that have pleasant memories, or special meaning. I think for me it's a song (the Hornet Song) from long ago about how God doesn't make us do anything (that free will thing) but He can compel us to do things. (It's

Anyway, I was thinking about how I'd often wanted to just give up the whole free will thing so it would be easier to know and do what God wanted. (I'm lazy by nature.) I realized that free will is what makes us who we are, so God would never remove that. But I could ask Him to start compelling me.

It's amazing what you get when you ask for that. All of a sudden I didn't need to think twice about doing things anymore. I just knew something needed to be acted on, and it was second nature to me. No second guessing, just second nature. And to see God working when you are doing what He wants when He wants is so amazing. Surprising sometimes, yet a blessing.

But just like praying for patience brings adversity to teach us that patience, asking God to compel me had its downside. You see, the thing that gave me that knowledge of what to do, was an increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. With that came the sensitivity to pray for others more. Knowledge that things might not be right. Knowledge at times that I wouldn't have thought of someone let alone pray for them. A sensitivity that produced empathetic emotions...sometimes the tears and actual pain of that person.

As they say, be careful what you pray for...but I'd encourage you to think about praying for ways for you to become more sensitive and decisive in seeking out God's will for you.