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And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. --Hebrews 11:6 More often than not, I think we all have tendency to make things in life more complicated than they really are. And this includes knowing God’s will. Because knowing God’s will isn’t a formula you have to figure out… nor is it a mystery that He’s trying to keep you from solving. Knowing God’s will in your life stems from your relationship with Him, your obedience to Him, your willingness to follow Him, and your faith to trust Him. Today, let’s break each of those down one by one. First of all, think about the relationship principle. When you’re connected to Jesus Christ… when His Spirit is living in you… you discover His will for your life as you walk with Him each day. You see the path He has for you when you take the time to read the Scriptures… when you speak with Him regularly through prayer… and when you intentionally listen for the still, small voice that says, “This is the way, walk in it.” Because when Christ rules your life, He will lead you! Then, think about the obedience principle. Many people aren’t happy to hear it, but God won’t take you one step further than the measure of your obedience to Him. For some of us that means getting back in the center of God’s will as we know it, and then letting God lead us the rest of the way! Third, there’s the willingness principle. So much of knowing and doing the will of God is just being willing to say, “Lord, I’m available. Lord, I’m accessible. Lord, I am willing.”Now, you may say, “Well, I’m not there yet.” But are you willing to be willing? Last, there’s the faith principle. I’ve discovered in my own life the will of God requires faith.  As today’s verse says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” And Christian, God will do amazing things in your life if you are willing to act in faith and trust in Him! Knowing God’s will isn’t a formula you have to figure out… nor is it a mystery that He’s trying to keep you from solving. Patience in Hard Times by Dr. Paul Chappell “And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls.” Luke 21:16–19 One of the most important traits of the Christian life is patience. We live in a “hurry up” world. It takes too long to cook a meal, so we have microwaves. It takes too long to go to the bank, so we make deposits with our phones. It takes too long to develop a skill, so we have apps to help us along. Yet nothing of lasting value can ever be accomplished unless we are willing to invest the time, diligence, and effort to achieve it—and the lack of patience is one of the greatest enemies of doing things that matter. Patience is most put to the test when we encounter difficulties and tests that seem to have no end. That is when we have the greatest opportunity to demonstrate our faith in action, as we faithfully work and wait to see what God will do. George Matheson said: “To run with patience is a very difficult thing. Running is apt to suggest the absence of patience, the eagerness to reach the goal. We commonly associate patience with lying down. There is a patience which I believe to be harder—the patience that can run. To lie down in the time of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength; but I know of something that implies a strength greater still: It is the power to work under a stroke; to have a great weight at your heart and still to run; to have a deep anguish in your spirit and still perform the daily task. It is a Christ-like thing!” Today’s Growth Principle:  Be willing to patiently wait on God, even when you do not understand what He is doing.