“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Listen to my song “Listen to Your Heart” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the reflection below. Thank you!

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Psalm 40:9

“I delight to do your will, my God; your law is in my inner being!”

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What is doing the will of God?

To get insight into this, perhaps we should look to Jesus as the expert.

What did Jesus say and do?

First, he said that “whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:35).

This is not speaking about martyrdom but about the here and now.

He followed that comment with, “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? (Mark 8:36)”

In other words, materialism, consumerism, and fame – the pursuit of worldly stuff – is the realm of the false self.

If you invest your time in those things, it’s like losing the life you were meant to live.

To be your true self, you simply need to be who we are!

Each of us has been loved into existence by Love itself (“God is love.” 1 John 4:8).

Live knowing you are loved.

Then ask yourself: what gives you joy?

How can you do what you enjoy in the service of others?

If you identify as Christian, you can look to Jesus’ mission statement.

He quoted Isaiah in stating, “(God) has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4:18).

Jesus also gave these explicit instructions: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 25:35-36).

Basically, God’s will is found in being present to others’ needs, especially “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40), in each moment.

This is the act of dying to self, letting go of our ego’s desires in order to realize God’s desires.

These desires are found in our innermost being, in our hearts.

You don’t have to look anywhere else but inside.

Spend some time in your “inner room” (Matthew 6:6) with the Holy One; let go of your thoughts and simply be.

(Centering Prayer or other form of meditation is very helpful.)

You just may find yourself delighting in the life that unfolds.

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Listen to the song of the day “Listen to Your Heart” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!