I Will, Regardless!

I. M. Koen
Jul 8
5 min read

Where there’s a will, there’s a destiny.

A person in shorts stands on a dirt road facing a stormy sky, watching a lightning bolt. Vast field under ominous dark clouds. — Photo by Nikolas Noonan on Unsplash

Have you been to a wedding lately? The officiant asks the bride and groom to make a vow to each other and God. They are asked something like “Will you love, honor, and cherish…” And their response is usually “I will.” On the wedding day, their will is strong. However, years later, if one of them violates their covenant, it is usually because their will has become weak, diluted, or distracted.

How does that happen? What is the human will? Can we control it?

When my children became toddlers, I read books on “strong-willed children”. I’m glad I did because they became magnificent adults and excellent parents themselves. I never squelched their will. But learned how to channel it in the right direction. And to teach them to do the same.

In my limited understanding, I believe the human will is the God-given capacity to choose. It’s the seat of decision-making, where we exercise our ability to say yes or no, to obey or resist, to surrender or rebel. It’s what makes us morally responsible before God. He gave us a will so that love and obedience could be genuine, not robotic. God doesn’t force obedience — He invites it. The will is where we answer that invitation.

When someone commits a horrific act, many people seek answers. And the usual response is, “Because God gave man free will.” Choices have consequences. And “the butterfly effect” causes ripples with far-reaching collateral ramifications.

How is your will these days? Strong? Tired? In neutral, waiting for someone or something to put it back into drive? We can’t surrender our will. We must engage it.

“Choose this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15).

Our will is where the real battle takes place. It’s not just about feelings or thoughts, it’s about deciding. We must “will” to obey God. We must “will” to renounce the ways of this present world. When the Lord shows us what could be or what should be, the question isn’t, “What will God do?” The question is, “What will we do?”

“I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life…” Deut 30:19

Just like Isaiah, when he heard the Lord ask, “Whom shall I send?”, the response must come from a willing heart: “Here am I. Send me” (Isaiah 6:8).

In the old paradigm, there were heroes, villains, and spectators. Most of us were spectators. However, in this changing and chaotic world, that is not the case. God is demanding that we choose.

No better Bible story exemplifies that point than Elijah versus the prophets of Baal.

“And Elijah came near to all the people and said, ‘How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.’ And the people did not answer him a word.” 1 Kings 18:21

By not deciding, they were, in effect, making a decision. By not answering a word, they were speaking volumes. The chosen people of a mighty God had been reduced to being spectators. That might have been OK in 867 BC. But not today as we close this present age and usher in the redemptive age of the Messiah.

We Must Choose a Side. We Must Get in the Game. We Must Set Our Will Like Steel. We Must Stand Under an Unseen Chuppah and Recommit Our Will to God.

Is God laying big decisions in front of you? If so, don’t rush. Think back. What did you do when you became aware of your divine destiny, when the truth first broke through your darkness? Remember how easy it was to trust Him back then? That was the Spirit of God at work in you. “You were running well,” Paul says in Galatians 5:7. Go back and remember that first love (Revelation 2:4). The same God who stirred your heart then is stirring it now, inviting you again to say yes, to be loyal, to recommit.

Every temptation and every crossroads comes down to a battle in the will. It’s where we either bow to God or don’t.

Obeying God isn’t something we drift into. It’s a deliberate, conscious choice of will.

Everything else in life waits until that choice is made. And when it comes, we shouldn’t poll the crowd, seek a sign of confirmation, or make sure our circle of influence is “OK with it.” As we continue to walk with God, fewer people will understand the steps we’re taking. That’s where the strain comes in. It’s lonely sometimes. But it’s holy ground.

We don’t need to figure out where God is taking us. That’s His job. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). It’s not a spotlight showing the whole road. He may not tell us the destination. Do you remember what He did with Abram? But He will reveal more of Himself. That’s the only explanation He owes us: His presence.

So, today, right now, speak it out loud: “I will be loyal. I will not be moved. I will persist. I will obey.” Say it to God. Say it in prayer, in tears, in faith, in repentance. Open a new door to greatness. It’s been there the whole time, waiting for you. Make the way to your destiny straight. Clear any mental obstacles. Ponder what God is saying to you today. Then move. Go! Take action!

“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed” (Psalm 57:7).

The moment we choose loyalty to God, to His plans, to His people, to His nation, we stand as a witness. It’s not just to the world, but against our selfish tendencies. We are drawing a line in the sand. We have learned to choose the good and refuse the evil. (Isaiah 7:15) We have set solid, unchangeable boundaries for ourselves. No more wavering. No more hypocrisy. No more sitting in neutral, idling, burning holy gas, and going nowhere. Spiritual maturity occurs when the human will aligns with God’s will. That doesn’t happen by accident. It takes daily surrender and discipline. It’s hard. But everything memorable and lasting is hard. Be tough.

Will yourself to be loyal.

And give honor to those who choose loyalty also. God’s people are called to strengthen, teach, sharpen, and lift one another for His glory. That’s how our Kingdom grows strong.

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