“…I have made it my aim to preach the gospel…” – Romans 15:20
Paul’s life teaches us that true Christian service doesn’t begin with talent, opportunity, or passion—it begins with the will of God. In Romans 15, Paul opens his heart and shows us that ministry was never his personal project. It was his offering. Whether he served as a minister presenting souls to God or as a missionary pressing into unreached lands, one truth governed everything he did: he served under the direction of God’s will. Like David before him—“a man after My own heart, who will do all My will” (Acts 13:22, NKJV)—Paul lived with a holy obsession to obey whatever God asked, wherever God sent, and whatever the cost.
This wasn’t a casual commitment. It shaped every step of his journey. Paul prayed for “a prosperous journey by the will of God” (Romans 1:10). He urged believers to discern “the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). He opened nearly every letter with the same declaration: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.” Even when warned that chains awaited him in Jerusalem, he answered, “I am ready… to die for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). That kind of resolve silenced the room until they whispered, “The will of the Lord be done.” Paul wasn’t anxious about outcomes because he was anchored in obedience. He didn’t need to know what tomorrow held—he knew Who held tomorrow.
And the result? Spiritual triumph. Paul could say, “I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus… in what Christ has accomplished through me” (Romans 15:17–18). Because he walked in God’s will, the gospel advanced, Gentiles believed, and lives were transformed. That wasn’t luck—it was legacy. When a believer walks in God’s will, their life becomes eternally useful. Their steps carry purpose. Their service bears fruit. Their story points to Christ.
Ask yourself today: Am I walking in God’s will, or merely in my plans? God may not call you to cross oceans like Paul, but He has called you to walk faithfully where you are. Surrender your decisions, your service, and your future to Him. When you anchor your life in His will, you will walk in His triumph.
“It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.”—R.M. M’Cheyne
surrendered devotions 