Inside or Outside the Will of God?

What does your life look like if you're outside of the will of God?

I've pondered this question over the years–usually when some crisis or another has hit and I'm suddenly not sure I've been in the right place or done the right thing. Could the calamity befalling me be the result of my missing what God wanted me to do?

With the horrific tornado in Joplin, Missouri, combined with the terrible tornadoes across the southern US this season, added to the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, not to mention the record snow, flooding, cold weather and a host of other natural calamities in 2011, is anyone even talking the possibility Someone may be trying to get our attention?

Is it possible some of us are outside of God's will in our life?

Our Bishop Seabury Episcopal Church pastor from 30 years ago, talked about annoying situations once. During a service one day, the Reverend Ron Gauss mentioned how annoying it is when you can't find the scissors, lose the car keys, forget to pack a lunch. That's actually a good sign, he said, because it means you're probably doing what God wants you to do and Satan is trying to trip you up–to keep your eyes off the task God has appointed by frustrating you.

I think of Ron's comments when stupid irritations crop up over and over again, often asking, "what could I possibly be doing for the Kingdom of God that Satan wants to distract me from?"

But that's not the same thing as wondering if I'm outside of God's will to such an extent that He is using extreme measures to catch my attention.

I remember another time in Connecticut, when I knelt at Bishop Seabury Episcopal Church's altar and prayed: "Lord, I'm drifting. I need you to do something to capture my attention and refocus me on You."

Several weeks later my children, mother-in-law, and I were in an automobile accident; the car was totaled, the children rode an ambulance to the hospital. He got my attention and I made my life right before Him, once again. I felt distinctly like we had been spared our lives and my worship was far more intense than it had been in some time.

But was I outside of the will of God? Or did I just need some realignment of my priorities? And does it make a difference?

When we turn to the Bible and look at the life of David, a man after God's own heart, we see instances where he clearly was outside of God's will. What the result?

King David's behavior with Bathsheba, wife of the soldier Uriah, obviously was outside of God's will. David's subsequent chicanery to cover his sin–made obvious in Bathsheba's pregnancy–caused Uriah's death and that of other good soldiers.

Throughout that time, the attempted cover-up time, David felt harried. He grew frustrated at Uriah's ethical behavior. He tried to tempt Uriah into violating the soldier's beliefs and his men. He grew angry. He got drunk. I see no indication David tried to talk to God–he was avoiding God.

The good news is, the Lord loved David enough to send the prophet Nathan to confront King David with his sin and urge him to repentance.  When David repented, he returned to the will of God–a broken man with a contrite heart, who had more griefs to bear.

Is God trying to get our attention with these extreme "natural disasters?" How would we know?

Can I be outside of the will of God, if I pray, read the Bible, and submit to the spiritual authorities in my life? Am I likely to be outside of the will of God if I ask Him to direct my steps?

David knew he was wrong in the Bathsheba-Uriah story. He avoided God.

I'm not so sure I'm outside of God's will in my present circumstances–but I do know the emotional longing to climb into God's lap and just sit.

The good news is, His lap is always open ready to receive me. Loving and forgiving me–and you–that's definitely in the will of God.