Do you know God’s will for your daily life? Maybe you understand God’s will in general but sometimes wonder about His specific will for you in a particular circumstance or trial.
The good news is, we don’t have to struggle with every decision, question every crossroad. God wants us to know His will.
The #1 Way to Know God’s Will
God has revealed Himself to us in the Bible. In His divinely inspired Word, He has made known to us everything He wants us to know about Him. Indeed, everything we need to know about Him to live the life He wants us to live. In the Bible, God has revealed His character, His plans and purposes, His thoughts, and His ways.
The more we know and apply the “living, active” (Hebrews 4:12) Word of God, the more God uses its Truth to purify our hearts and renew our minds. The more we fill our minds with God’s Word and meditate on His eternal truths, the more our thinking will align with God’s thinking. The lies and half-truths of the world will be replaced with truth. And, over time, the way we think will look more and more like God’s way of thinking.
Paul expressed it this way in his letter to the Christians in Rome:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
The Greek word translated as “discern” in Romans 12:2 means to understand and agree with God’s will with the intent of putting it into practice. The more our thinking aligns with God’s we will begin to know almost instinctively what His will is in a given situation. The more we think like God, the more we will act like Him.
What we put into our minds WILL shape the way we think. Our thinking then shapes our beliefs and what we believe will dictate our behavior. When we think like the world, we will act like the world. When we think like God, we will do what God would do. (See “What are You Feeding Your Mind?” for more about transformed thinking.)
Sometimes, no matter how well we know Scripture, we may still struggle to discern God’s specific will in a particular. What do we do then?
When We Need Additional Direction
- Prayer – God often clarifies His will through prayer. For instance, the church in Antioch was praying when God directed them to send Barnabas and Saul off on mission (Acts 13:1-3). The church already knew from Jesus’ last words that they were to take the gospel to the world (Matthew 28:19-20and Acts 1:8), but through prayer, God gave specific direction for how to obey.
- The Holy Spirit – One day, while Peter was praying on a rooftop, God gave him a vision. As Peter pondered its meaning, the Spirit gave him clear direction (Acts 10:9-20). The Holy Spirit resides within every true believer. He is our Teacher and Guide. He helps us understand Scripture and shows us how to apply it to our lives. He gives guidance and clarity as we study the Bible and pray. (Also see “How the Holy Spirit Helps Us in Bible Study.”)
- Circumstances– During the first church council, the believers used Scripture to interpret recent circumstances (Acts 15). In separate instances, God had worked through both Peter then Paul and Barnabas to bring many Gentiles to saving faith in Christ. Although this upset some Jewish believers when the church considered the circumstances in light of Old Testament prophecy, they recognized that God extended His salvation to the Gentiles (Amos 9:11-12). Although, we must not rely on circumstances to discern God’s will, God can use them to confirm it. God also orchestrates the circumstances of our lives to put us in the proper position to carry out His will for us. Looking back at where He has brought us can help us see His next steps for us.
- Godly Counsel – God designed us to need other believers. Sometimes we need to talk through things with another person. Another believer, who also prays and studies God’s Word, can help insure we make choices that align with Scripture. Choose your counsel wisely and give them permission to hold you accountable for obedience.
Back to the Bible
Yes, we started with Scripture. But we must also end there because God will not speak in any way that contradicts His Word. He will not reveal anything through prayer that contradicts His Word. The Holy Spirit will not teach any spiritual truth that contradicts His Word. Circumstances will not point in any direction that contradicts God’s Word. Finally, any human counsel that contradicts God’s Word is not godly counsel.
We simply cannot know God’s will apart from His Word. The transformed thinking we need requires consistent, ongoing commitment to God’s Word.
A Few Guidelines for Transformed Thinking:
- Transformed thinking takes time– The Bible is not a quick-reference guide. We can’t wait until a need arises then use the concordance to try to find God’s will. Undoing old patterns of thinking and learning to think like God requires a life-long commitment. (Also see “12 Ways to Stay Motivated to Read the Bible.”)
- Transformed thinking requires a personal commitment– Bible studies written by other people, sermon podcasts, and Christian conferences can all be great supplemental tools for the life of faith, but nothing can replace our own study. Thorough knowledge of God’s Word requires personal, ongoing immersion in the Scriptures. Our study of the Bible cannot be erratic, casual, or second-hand. (If you want to dig into God’s Word for yourself but need just a little guidance, check out the Deep Rooted devotional series. Each volume leads you through your own study of a Bible book. See Mark, Acts, John, Hebrews, or Romans.)
- Transformed thinking needs follow-through– The goal of knowing God’s will is doing God’s will. If we undertake to study God’s Word to know His will, we must be prepared to do His will. (Also see “4 Ways to Apply Scripture to Your Life.”)
Do you struggle to know God’s will? How have you sought to discover it in the past?
A few other related posts you may find helpful:
- 3 Attitudes I Need to Approach God’s Word
- 5 Probing Questions to Help You Meditate on Scripture
- Free Resources for Your Discipleship
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