I was reading in Oswald Chambers’ devotional, My Utmost for His Highest.*  He titled the chapter, “The Explanation for Our Difficulties,”  and referenced John 17:21. He was writing about how God can use our circumstances to make us more like Him.

From the Journal . . . . . May 2023

Lord, Your goal is that we be One with You.

John 17:20-24  “I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, ²¹ that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; ²³ I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. ²⁴ Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.   NASB

Oswald Chambers was talking about how You use our circumstances to make us sweeter, better, or more noble.  Nonetheless, our choices in how to respond to circumstances can also make us more critical, fault finding, and insistent on our own way.

I think our responses depend on the depth of our commitment to Jesus.  If we want to be more like Him, we will put a filter on our natural responses.   

However, we can have confidence in the answer to Jesus’ prayer for oneness because Jesus prayed it.

Lord, even if sometimes I don’t want this oneness, You are working it out.

And I believe God said:

Yes. It is a little like Greta wanting her friends to be in her group. She wants them with her because she loves them. When I pray to My father that we all be One with Him, then we are one with each other. The fulfillment of this prayer requires the death of self and independence. You become all for one (Our father) and one for all. Your independent self chooses Me. As you love Me and because you love Me, you will love who I love and that brings harmony and oneness.

John 17:20-24
John 13:34  I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Thank You, Lord. Amazing how You bring my thoughts around to understand Your revelations. Using Greta as an example, there are things in each of those friends she chose that she particularly appreciates. They are kindred spirits with her.

Lord, You have chosen Your own to be in Your group and we are kindred spirits loving God the Father!

Our common factor as Believers is love for You!  The song says

Holy Holy Holy ~ Let all the saints adore You!

So, as we are ‘adoring Him’ others are doing the same thing.  A pastor once compared it with spokes on a bike wheel. As each individual spoke gets closer to the hub, it gets closer to the other spokes!  As we get closer to God, we also get closer to each other!  I have chosen to follow Jesus, so the result is that I will be in relationship with others who have chosen Him. Sometimes we have to work through our sibling rivalries, but we persevere because of our love for Him!

*Updated Edition Copywrite@1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association Ltd