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It’s unfortunate that knowing and doing God’s will has become a somewhat confusing conundrum for some of us Christians. Somehow we’ve gotten this idea that we must look for God’s will, beg him to show us, and then he’ll give us some kind of road map which spells out every bend in the road and every turn we should make for the next ten years at least, maybe longer!
If you study scripture, you will see over and over again that God led his people one day at a time. He sent Abraham to a land he did not know. Abraham had to start moving without knowing where he was going. God directed him day by day. Joseph certainly could not have imagined that God’s will would cause him to end up in an Egyptian prison for two years. But God took Joseph day by day and brought him to a place of power and prominence to be used for God’s purpose and glory. David was anointed as the King of Israel, but spent many years running from Saul before he took the throne. He didn’t know what the next day or week or month held for him. God led him one step at a time.
So, knowing God’s will is not God handing us a long-term plan. It is a daily life we choose to live, abiding in what we know to be God’s will and trusting him to guide our paths. We read in Isaiah 30:21: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” The picture is of one who is on the road, walking in the way, and hearing God’s voice for every step.
Ephesians 5 tells us that it is God’s will for us to be sober people, never drunk, and always filled with the Spirit. That means it is God’s will that our lives demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. Further it is God’s will that we sing songs of praise and be thankful for everything. Ephesians 6 goes on to tell us that it is God’s will for us to obey those in authority over us.
Just those two passages are enough to keep me busy, how about you? Every day I must choose to obey God’s will in these specific areas, and when I do, I will hear that voice behind me saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”
Let’s look at another specific instruction we are given concerning God’s will:
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister (1 Thessalonians 4:3-6).
It is God’s will that you be sanctified. Does that sound a little scary to you? What does it mean to be sanctified? It means that you are consecrated to God and to holiness. It means that your life is not your own because it’s been bought with the blood of Jesus and you have consecrated your life to bring glory to God.
It is God’s will that you live a sexually pure life. What does that mean? Well, it means that you don’t partake of any sexual practice outside the boundaries of marriage. There are no exceptions to that, by the way. Often a person involved in an impure relationship tries to justify it by extenuating circumstances. The most common one is “But we really love each other.” So what? That doesn’t justify sexual impurity. Another one is, “We didn’t mean to but it just happened.” No, it didn’t just happen. You had to provide the necessary environment for it to happen; you had to allow yourself to be in a compromising situation in order for it to happen.
Any sexual impurity is out of God’s will, including inappropriate touches and intimacies. There’s no way to water that down, and when you refuse to obey God’s will in these matters, you invite disaster into your life. Sexual sin will cause you more grief and heartache than any other sin you can name.
There are many Christians who have been shoved into the world’s mold and refuse to see sexual immorality as the sin that it is. They pretend it’s okay because everybody’s doing it. Please be sure you understand that it is God’s will for you to live a totally pure life when it comes to sex. If you’re not married, that means a celibate life. If you are married, it means being totally faithful to your spouse.
Well, that’s a pretty tall order—living a sanctified and pure life. It is God’s will for all of us.
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Be joyful always. That’s God’s will for you. Are you joyful even when things aren’t going your way? Are you joyful even when people don’t treat you right? Are you joyful when finances are tough, or you’re not feeling so good? Keep in mind that being joyful doesn’t mean having a continual party, nor does it mean that there won’t be times of sorrow and pain. But it means that you keep a joyful, non-complaining, positive approach to life, regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in.
Pray continually. That’s God’s will for you. How can you do that? Well, you stay in an attitude of prayer all the time. None of us can pray every minute of every day, but we can be in an attitude of prayer every day. You can breathe prayers throughout your day. When you hear of a disaster or a crisis, pray about it. When someone is hurting, right at that moment pray in your heart for that person. Pray continually about everything. That is God’s will for you. And remember, you can pray with your eyes wide open—anywhere and anytime.
Give thanks in all circumstances. That is God’s will for you. Sounds like a mission impossible, doesn’t it? Give thanks in all circumstances? Yes, even in the midst of those difficult things, we can be thankful for God’s goodness, his presence, his never-leaving love which gets us through those difficult circumstances.
In one sentence, the Apostle Paul gives us a tall order which is God’s will for us: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.” Let’s work on that; it will keep us pretty busy.
Many people never know God’s will in their lives because they haven’t yet obeyed the clearly expressed will of God in the Bible.
The Psalmist said: “I desire to do your will, O my God…” (Psalm 40:8a). Is that the true desire of your heart? Or do you want God to bless your will? Many of us would have to admit that our honest prayer would be something like “I desire for you to bless my will, O God.” We haven’t yet relinquished the control of our lives to his will, so it’s no wonder we don’t know what it is.
David prayed: “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God…” (Psalm 143:10a). It’s a prayer for obedience rather than guidance. Most of us know of areas in our lives where we are not doing God’s will. We need to pray that we will be taught to do God’s will, not our own. Why? Because he is God and we’re not. He knows best and his plans are best. He created us and we belong to him. Because it’s all about God, not all about us.
Paul wrote to the Romans: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). Pray that you will no longer be conformed to the way this world thinks, but that you will be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Pray that you will think biblically. Then you will know and do God’s will and be pleasing to him.
I urge you to pray this passage everyday into your life—Romans 12:1 and 2. Pray that you will not be conformed to the world, and that God will transform you by renewing your mind and helping you to think biblically. Then, and only then, you will know and do God’s good, pleasing and perfect will.
The good news is, as we read in Philippians 2, “it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Sometimes God has to change our “will” and make us willing to do his will, and he can do that. Ask him to help you, and then do what you know is God’s will. Knowing God’s will is really not complicated; our real issue is obeying what we already know.
I can assure you based on God’s Word that if you will become serious about doing these practical things that you know are God’s will for your life, it will end your confusion about God’s will. First, it will occupy your mind and your energy with doing the good things God wants you to do. Then you’ll see changes in yourself that will amaze you, as God does transform you by renewing your mind. Those changes will be conforming you to the image of Jesus Christ, and then the mind of Christ, which is resident in each true believer, will guide you in your decision-making. You’ll hear his voice—not audibly but unmistakably—telling you, this is the way; walk in it.
Remember, God is far more interested in who you are—what your character is like, how much like Jesus you are—than in where you are. You can do God’s will anywhere and you will be blessed when you do.