Strong-Willed: Harnessing Determination for God's Purposes

A strong will can be a powerful servant of God or a stubborn barrier to Him. The difference lies not in the strength of the will, but in whose direction it follows.

The Strength and the Danger of a Strong Will

It is generally considered a desirable quality to be decisive and determined, not easily dissuaded by opinions and peer pressure. Such a person can, however, be stubborn, self-opinionated, arrogant and fiercely independent, as they want to manage themselves. Being self-starters, they are usually good at setting goals, accomplishing tasks and determining their own schedule and use of time. They may be so confident their views are right that they will not readily give up their stance, even if advised against a course of action. Christians, however, should be humble enough to change if clearly shown a particular belief or choice is wrong. The religious leaders of Jesus' day are an example of this weakness – even though they had plenty of evidence showing Jesus was the Son of God, they refused to alter their view.

Allow your ungodly nature to be broken by Christ

Self-Will or Strong Will?

Self-will is will bent on having its own way. It puts self at the centre – my plans, my opinions, my timing. A self-willed person may even acknowledge God, yet still reserve the final decision for himself or herself, consulting Him only after the choice has been made. Scripture links this attitude with stubbornness and rebellion, described as the 'way of Cain' and 'Balaam's error' (Jude 11) – insisting on a path God has already opposed. Self-will resists correction because admitting error would mean surrendering control.

Strong will, by contrast, describes the strength and consistency of a person's resolve. It is not a flaw in itself; it is simply capacity. The same determination that makes a person immovable in defiance can make them immovable in obedience. Jesus was the strongest-willed person who ever lived, yet His will was entirely given over to the Father – 'not my will, but Yours, be done' (Lk 22:42). The difference, therefore, is not the strength of the will but its direction: self-will serves self and hardens against God, while a strong will surrendered to Him becomes holy persistence.

Determination Directed by God

Jesus resolutely accepted His mission on earth to die on the cross for sinful humanity (Lk 9:51). He 'steadfastly set His face' toward Jerusalem, refusing to be diverted even when a Samaritan village refused Him welcome (Lk 9:51-53). Facing the agony of the cross, He set His face 'like flint', confident that He would not be put to shame (Isa 50:7), and endured it 'for the joy that was set before Him' (Heb 12:2). Through His death He cancelled the record of debt that stood against us and disarmed the rulers and authorities (Col 2:14-15). He did not allow Satan to prevent Him from completely fulfilling God's redemptive plan.

Am I determined to fulfil His calling for me?

Paul also was relentless in tracking down and persecuting the Christians, yet when God miraculously intervened in his life, the same uncompromising passion he had used to oppose God was redirected to serving Him (Act 9:1-2,19-22). He suffered greatly for Christ but counted it a privilege. Having an eternal perspective, he continually pressed on to know Christ more deeply (Rom 8:18; 2 Cor 4:17; Phil 3:8,12-14). God was able to harness and use his forceful nature to advance the cause of Christianity in what without doubt is the greatest example of a person 'sold out' to the Lord (Act 20:24).

A Good or Bad Virtue

Being strong-willed can be either a good or bad virtue, depending on the course of action being undertaken. Determination that is surrendered to God becomes holy persistence; the same determination that is held onto for self hardens into stubbornness and resistance to His correction. The question is not whether we are strong-willed, but whose will we are strong for.

The strength of a will is like the strength of an engine: the power itself is neither good nor evil – it takes its character from wherever it is pointed. Scripture never condemns resolve; it condemns resolve set against God. Pharaoh's will was iron, but iron against God, and each plague only hardened it further (Exo 8:15,32). Saul was decisive, yet when the instruction was clear he held onto his own plan and dressed his disobedience in religious language – 'to obey is better than sacrifice' (1 Sam 15:22-23). By contrast, Daniel 'purposed in his heart' not to defile himself and would not be talked out of it (Dan 1:8); Ruth's determination bound her to God's people for life (Ruth 1:16-17); and Caleb was commended precisely because he 'wholly followed the LORD' with an unshakable spirit (Num 14:24). The same steel in these characters was a virtue in one direction and would have been a vice in the other.

This is why God does not ask the strong-willed person to become weak-willed, but to change masters. A will surrendered to Him is not broken – it is enlisted. It prays on when prayer feels barren (Lk 18:1), stands firm when the days are evil (Eph 6:13), holds fast to the confession of hope without wavering (Heb 10:23), and stays at the task when others drift (1 Cor 15:58). The tests are simple and searching: does my resolve bend quickly when Scripture plainly speaks? Do the counsel of godly believers and the promptings of the Spirit soften me, or do I only dig in (Pro 12:15)? A stubborn will answers to no one; a holy will answers instantly to its Lord. The first is a fortress built for self, the second a weapon forged for His purposes.

Say 'No' to Satan, but 'Yes' to Jesus and then obey Him

Reflection and Application

Is my determination driven by self-will, or is it surrendered to God's direction?
Where might God be asking me to change my stance, even when I am convinced I am right?
Like Paul, could my most forceful traits be redirected to serve God's purposes?
What specific calling do I need to press on toward with holy persistence (Phil 3:12-14)?