IT WILL BE DONE FOR YOU
By Colleen Donahue
Almost all of us pride ourselves in being "do-it-yourselfers”. The thought of being dependent on anyone is abhorrent to us and against the tide of our culture. But I have come to see that my pride in being an independent woman is misguided. Let me explain.
God designed and made us to live in partnership with himself. He gave every person a spirit that He wanted to fill with His own Holy Spirit. Together we were meant to use our mind, will, and emotions to make the world a better place. To have God’s Spirit within us, means that we can have God’s knowledge and understanding about how to deal with every situation we find ourselves in.
Instead of being independent people, we were meant to be DEPENDENT UPON GOD for everything, for that is how God made us. To illustrate this point Jesus (God’s Son) used the analogy of a grapevine and its branches. The branches are really quite short, but when attached to the vine they produce canes or shoots from which grapes grow. Jesus was showing us that if we want to produce fruit that will last, we are going to have to stay attached to the vine and on a “short leash”.
What does this mean? When a dog is on a short leash he can’t just run after every rabbit he sees off in the distance. If he does, he gets a sharp yank in his neck! So too, we won’t be able to hear of a need and just take off to attend to it at our own whim and choosing. At all times we have to stay in step with Jesus and move only when He says to move.
We are often a dissipated people – pulled in all directions – doing good but exhausted from doing it without Jesus. He wants us focused like a laser beam on what he has asked us to do – NOT on what WE THINK He wants us to do. Jesus knows that our reach is quite short and that’s why He says to us, “I will do it for you” (see John 14:12-14 / John 15:7).
Our part is to stay abiding in Him and ASK. His part is TO DO whatever we ask and to do it for us! If that seems a little backwards, that’s because we are used to operating in the wrong direction. Only God – using our minds, will, emotions, and body – has the power to say and do the right things at the right time. Only He has the knowledge and wisdom to see behind and through the mountains in our lives. And so, Jesus invites us, “If you abide in me and my word abides in you, ask WHATEVER you will and IT WILL BE DONE FOR YOU.”
(John 15:7)
Abiding (or staying attached) on the vine will feel like our wings have been clipped for a time, but Jesus knows we can’t just go and do what WE want if we plan to live in partnership with Him. So, He says to us: “Ask and let me do it for you” (my paraphrase).
Waiting upon God’s timing isn’t easy, but it’s always the right time. Since we are meant to operate WITH GOD, He will use our faculties to do the work that HE wants to do. That means our branch on His vine will bear much fruit and bring Him much glory.
Learn to be satisfied on a “short leash” and ask God to do FOR YOU the things you can’t reach. Isaiah tells us the wonder of waiting on God when he says, “For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!” (Isaiah 64:4 NLT)
