Trials & Tribulations
April 20, 2026
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have
How willing are we to become friends of God, to go beyond acquaintance and into relationship? Is it enough to simply know about God and not get intimate, knowing Him as He knows us?
Matthew 23 is about willingness, begins and ends with pictures of God’s desire contrasted with man’s desire.
The scribes and Pharisees were the scholars of the Scriptures, claimed to be the fount of all understanding about God and possessors of all that was true. Yet, here we have Jesus pointing out the error that while they knew the truth, they did not practice that truth. They imposed truth upon everyone else but excused themselves from acting on what they knew. They laid the burden of legality as a means of pleasing God upon everyone else but were unwilling to ease that burden through their own participation. Others ought to but we are special enough to not need…
But it was not just a ‘top down’ problem of unwillingness. Jesus concludes the chapter with a view from God’s perspective,
This is Jesus commenting on the general unwillingness of the inhabitants of Jerusalem to draw near to God. Even with God present in their midst, the majority of the population didn’t take the time to draw near!
The Lᴏʀᴅ places a premium on willingness to draw near to Him and this is expressed in both the earlier and latter testaments. In 1 Chronicles 28:9 David encourages his son,
‘Know God and serve God wholeheartedly and with a willing mind’ for God seeks these characteristics in those He will have relationship with based in His precepts. This is even more clearly emphasized in James 4:8,
Willingness is the beginning of participation with God and is a foundational element of conversion, of passing from living after the ways of man to entering into life according to the faith in God. You must be willing to believe that God is able to change your status before Him in a way that you become agreeable to His desires. Relationship with God is not one way but it is according to who He is and you being changed into conformity with Him.
To use a different example, 2 Thessalonians 3:10 uses a physical example of willingness as a means of participation. The Apostle Paul writes to a group of followers of Jesus that willingness to participate is necessary to enjoy the fruits of participation:
There is a mutuality involved in participation, involvement results in benefits desired rather than non-participation resulting in denial.
Jesus gave a personal demonstration of His willingness to participate with the Lᴏʀᴅ when He was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest,
While He recognized the cost and asked ‘if it were possible’ to move on, ‘not my will but yours be done’ was the determination of His willingness to participate with the Father in accomplishing the will of God.
Willing is a determination, a deliberate intention, purpose with implementation which is so much more than personal preference. Willingness to live before God takes commitment of all you are to accept all He is and desires to be in and through your life. Quite the challenge. May you go with God.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be
But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able
“… Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.”
Glory to God “…and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light…”Editor’s Note: this is
“… How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and
