Embracing God's Will Amidst Life's Inconveniences

Today’s gathering was a journey into the heart of what it means to follow Jesus when life is inconvenient, uncomfortable, or even painful. We began by lifting our voices in worship, declaring that the battle belongs to God and that He is our mighty fortress. In His presence, there is fullness of joy, even when our circumstances are difficult. We acknowledged that God’s grace is sufficient, His forgiveness is available, and His healing is real for those who are suffering or in need.

We reflected on the Lord’s Prayer, especially the often-overlooked line: “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Too often, we rush past this, focusing on our needs and desires, but Jesus teaches us to align our hearts with God’s will—even when it disrupts our comfort. True discipleship means making God’s will our priority, even when it leads us into inconvenience or suffering.

Acts 8 provided a powerful example. The early church faced persecution, which scattered believers from Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria. What seemed like a setback was actually God’s way of expanding His kingdom. Philip, one of the deacons, was forced out of his comfort zone and sent by the Spirit to a desert road, where he encountered the Ethiopian eunuch. This man, marginalized by both ethnicity and physical condition, was reading Isaiah and longing for acceptance. Though excluded from the temple, he found in Jesus the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy: that even the outsider, the broken, and the disqualified are welcomed into God’s presence.

We saw that God often uses what we call “inconvenience” as a divine setup. The delays, disruptions, and disappointments in our lives may be God’s invitation to participate in something greater than ourselves. The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch reminds us that obedience in the face of discomfort can have far-reaching impact—sometimes beyond what we can imagine.

The challenge is to stop praying for an easier life and start praying for clarity, direction, and a willingness to embrace God’s will, even when it disrupts our plans. Inconvenience is often God’s invitation to step into His greater purpose. Let us be people who say, “Your kingdom come, your will be done,” and trust that God’s acceptance, grace, and calling are for us, no matter our background or brokenness.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Will Over Comfort True alignment with God means prioritizing His will above our own comfort, convenience, or success. When we sincerely pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done,” we open ourselves to divine disruptions that may challenge our routines but lead us into deeper purpose and participation in God’s kingdom. [30:30]
• 2. Inconvenience as Divine Invitation What we often perceive as setbacks or inconveniences—delays, failures, or disruptions—may actually be God’s way of inviting us into a greater story. Rather than resisting discomfort, we are called to discern how God might be using these moments to realign our lives with His mission and to reach people we might otherwise overlook. [43:14]
• 3. The Gospel Breaks Barriers of Exclusion The story of the Ethiopian eunuch reveals that no one is too far, too broken, or too disqualified to be welcomed by God. Jesus fulfills the ancient promise that outsiders and outcasts are given a place, a name, and acceptance in God’s presence—not by ritual or heritage, but by grace through faith. [52:11]
• 4. Obedience Unlocks Unexpected Impact Philip’s willingness to obey God’s disruptive call—leaving a fruitful ministry in Samaria to meet one man on a desert road—resulted in the gospel reaching the “ends of the earth.” Our small acts of obedience, especially when inconvenient, can have ripple effects far beyond what we see, impacting generations and nations. [61:17]
• 5. Worship Is No Longer Restricted Because of Jesus, worship is not confined to a place, a people, or a ritual. The tearing of the temple curtain means God’s presence is accessible to all, everywhere, and at all times. We are invited to worship in spirit and in truth, knowing that God seeks and welcomes us as we are. [58:47]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [07:28] - Worship: The Battle Belongs to God
• [09:49] - Opening Prayer and Acknowledgement of God’s Presence
• [11:49] - Confession and Assurance of Forgiveness
• [13:06] - Prayer for Healing and God’s Sovereignty
• [15:58] - Worship: Jesus, Our Rescuer
• [21:52] - Worship: Gratitude and Praise
• [27:20] - Introduction: Getting the Story Right
• [29:16] - The Lord’s Prayer and Our Priorities
• [31:09] - Acts 8: Obedience and Inconvenience
• [36:12] - God’s Plan: Witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria
• [40:03] - The Story of the Ethiopian Eunuch
• [43:52] - Divine Disruptions and Obedience
• [47:40] - Barriers in the Temple and Exclusion
• [52:11] - Isaiah’s Prophecy: Acceptance for Outsiders
• [55:59] - Jesus Redefines Worship
• [58:47] - The Curtain Torn: Access to God for All
• [61:17] - The Ripple Effect of Obedience
• [64:20] - Challenge: Embracing God’s Will Over Comfort
• [65:31] - Closing Prayer and Benediction
• [67:31] - Final Worship and Sending Forth

Bible Reading

Acts 8:1-8, 26-39 (ESV) —
> 1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
> 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.
> 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
> 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
> 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.
> 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.
> 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
> 8 So there was much joy in that city.

> 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.
> 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship
> 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
> 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”
> 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
> 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
> 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
> “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.
> 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”
> 34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
> 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.
> 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
> 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
> 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Isaiah 56:3-5 (ESV) —
> 3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
> “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”;
> and let not the eunuch say,
> “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
> 4 For thus says the Lord:
> “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
> who choose the things that please me
> and hold fast my covenant,
> 5 I will give in my house and within my walls
> a monument and a name
> better than sons and daughters;
> I will give them an everlasting name
> that shall not be cut off.

Matthew 6:9-10 (ESV) – The Lord’s Prayer (portion) —
> 9 Pray then like this:
> “Our Father in heaven,
> hallowed be your name.
> 10 Your kingdom come,
> your will be done,
> on earth as it is in heaven.”

Observation Questions

1. According to Acts 8, what event caused the early Christians to leave Jerusalem and spread out to Judea and Samaria? ([32:26])
2. What was Philip doing in Samaria before the angel of the Lord told him to go to the desert road? ([43:52])
3. What was the Ethiopian eunuch doing when Philip met him, and what was his spiritual background? ([45:04])
4. In Isaiah 56, what promise does God make to foreigners and eunuchs who seek Him? ([52:51])

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon said that “persecution wasn’t just something to endure. It was something God used to bring his kingdom on earth.” How does this change the way we might view our own inconveniences or hardships? ([33:04])
2. Why do you think God sent Philip away from a successful ministry in Samaria to meet just one man on a desert road? What does this say about God’s priorities? ([44:31])
3. The Ethiopian eunuch was excluded from full participation in temple worship because of his background and physical condition. What does his story teach us about who is welcome in God’s kingdom? ([50:16])
4. The Lord’s Prayer includes “Your kingdom come, your will be done.” Why is it so easy to skip this part and focus on our own needs? What does it look like to truly pray for God’s will, even when it disrupts our comfort? ([30:30])

Application Questions

1. The sermon challenged us to stop praying for an easier life and start praying for clarity and a willingness to embrace God’s will, even when it disrupts our plans. Is there an area in your life right now where you are seeking comfort over God’s calling? What would it look like to pray for God’s will instead? ([01:04:20])
2. Think about a recent inconvenience, delay, or disappointment in your life. Could this be a “divine setup” or invitation from God to participate in something bigger? How might you respond differently if you saw it that way? ([43:14])
3. Philip’s obedience led to the gospel reaching “the ends of the earth.” Can you think of a time when a small act of obedience in your life had a bigger impact than you expected? How can you be more open to God’s leading, even when it feels inconvenient? ([01:01:17])
4. The Ethiopian eunuch’s story shows that no one is too far, too broken, or too disqualified to be welcomed by God. Are there people in your life or community that you tend to overlook or exclude? How can you extend God’s welcome and acceptance to them? ([52:11])
5. The sermon said, “Worship is not confined to a place, a people, or a ritual.” How does this truth affect the way you approach worship during the week, not just on Sundays? ([58:47])
6. When was the last time you felt God was nudging you to step out of your comfort zone for His purposes? Did you respond? What held you back or helped you say yes? ([44:31])
7. The Lord’s Prayer is often rushed through, especially the part about God’s will. What practical steps can you take this week to slow down and genuinely pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done,” and mean it? ([30:30])