Teach me to do Your will

Psalm 143:10 (NIV)

10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

He prays that he might be enlightened with the knowledge of God's will; and this is the first work of the Spirit, in order to his other works, for God deals with men as men, as reasonable creatures. [Matthew Henry]

There's a story about a man who walks into a restaurant and orders a Coke. As soon as he receives it, he throws it in the waiter's face. The waiter is ready to fight, but the man says, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I have a horrible compulsion. I can't help it. Whenever someone hands me a drink, I throw it in their face. Please, forgive me." Then the guy says, "I'm working hard to overcome this compulsion. Would you bring me another Coke?"

The waiter says, "Do you promise not to throw it in my face?"

The guy responds, "I'm going to do everything I can not to throw it in your face. I'm working really hard to resist."

So the waiter says, "Okay, I'll bring you another one."

Soon the waiter comes back with another Coke, and the guy throws it in the waiter's face. The waiter says, "I thought you said you wouldn't do that."

The guy apologizes: "Oh, this compulsion is so strong. I promise you that I will check myself into an in-patient clinic to get some help. Forgive me. I'm so sorry."

The guy felt genuine guilt and sorrow, so he checks himself into a clinic, and for one month he gets intense psychotherapy to deal with his compulsion. When he gets out of the clinic, he goes back to the same restaurant, and he walks in and says, "I'm cured. Give me a drink."

The waiter says, "Wait a minute. I had to change my shirt last time you were here. Are you sure you're cured?"

The guy says, "I know I'm cured. I promise."

The waiter says, "Okay, if you're cured, I'll bring you a Coke." And so the waiter brings him a Coke. The guy looks at it and throws it right in the waiter's face. The waiter says, "I thought you said you were cured."

The guy says, "I am cured. I still have the compulsion, but I don't feel guilty about it anymore."

[Phillip Griffin, from the sermon "Broken and Repentant"]

Sometimes we miss the point God is trying to make with us, so it is important that we learn God’s will for us and allow The Spirit to us in our lives.