When Will Gets in the Way of Your Assignment

Dr. Gwendolyn Henry
4 days ago
2 min read

Garage door with the words "This door blocked" on it

In the marketplace, decisions determine direction. Every move in the marketplace, whether you are serving on a team, leading a project, or building vision, is shaped by the choices you make. And behind every choice is the will.

That is why God emphasizes the will. The Christian life is not about how you feel, it is about what you will. Scripture says, “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19). Willingness is the doorway to God’s best, whether that is opportunities, promotions, relationships, or influence in your sphere.

But here is the tension. Culture celebrates “do you.” The workplace encourages “my way or no way.” Yet you cannot run on self-will and expect Kingdom outcomes. God does not compete with ego, ambition, or pride. He allows you to choose, but the choice is costly. Adam and Eve followed self-will, and it cost them their assignment in Eden.

The same pattern repeats in the marketplace today. Professionals build resumes, brands, and businesses around self, yet still feel unfulfilled. Why? Because when self is the driver, destiny gets sidelined. The adversary knows this. His own fall came from five “I wills” (Isaiah 14:12-14). That same deception now whispers into boardrooms, classrooms, governments, and media, pushing self ahead of God’s strategy.

If you want God’s best in the marketplace, your will cannot be the CEO of your life. His will has to govern your decisions, your direction, and your destiny.

Where have you seen self-will get in the way of progress in your own marketplace purpose?