Asking For a Willing Spirit
Psalm 51 is a true classic – we can all relate to David to some degree as he pours out his heart in repentance to God. And one more phrase caught my attention as I read it recently. It comes from the second half of verse 12. David says “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:12 NIV11)
David wants to change. He doesn’t want to just say sorry, and then rush back to the same sins so that he can come and repeat the whole process. How many of us do that, I wonder?
David asks God for help so that he can be sustained in the joy of salvation. And the secret, he believes, is a willing spirit. He doesn’t want to be drawn to the evil anymore. He longs for a spirit that is willing to follow God.
Spiritual Willingness: Embracing God's Guidance Over Self-Assertion
This is an interesting topic in our day. A common philosophy in our culture is the one that says be your own person. Don’t let anybody tell you what you can or can’t be. Whatever you feel you’d like to be – be that! And the deep end of that way of thinking is people claiming to be things they aren’t, or basing their whole identity on a desire that is distorted or broken by the sinfulness of the world.
Instead of a spirit willing to follow God’s ways, people are encouraged to just do it their own way, no boundaries.
Think of it: David could have said “this is who I am now. I am going to embrace this part of me, and feed it.” But instead he comes to God and says “grant me a willing spirit. Let my spirit be willing to follow you. Sustain me in your ways, in the joy of salvation rather than the pleasures of sin.”
This is deep. The enemy will always be tempting us, and many of us follow our temptations so long that they begin to feel normal and natural. And we stop being willing to turn from sin to honour God – we expect God to be willing to change to affirm us the way we want to be.
Sustained by Willingness: Embracing God's Power Over Temptation
Notice: David doesn’t ask for a change of desire. He asks for a willing spirit. He seems to believe that a willing spirit can overpower any temptation that comes his way.
I believe God can sustain us through all sorts of temptations, to live a holy and God-honouring life. But we need to be willing to let go of our old ways, our godless ways, no matter how hard the world tell us not to!
David certainly was willing to change his ways – to quit acting on the sinful desires, and to live his life for God again. My prayer is that you and I will always have a willing spirit to live God’s way, and believe deeply in His sustaining grace to help us live for HIm each and every day.
