Knowing God’s Will

Contemplating God’s will, and trying to determine what that will is for our individual lives, is a question that comes to every Christian.  We ask things like: What job or career does God want me to pursue?  What church should I attend?  Who should I marry?  Where should I live?  Should I go to college?  Should I teach a  Sunday School class?   What does God want me to do?  How does He want me to pray?  What should I pray for concerning myself and the people I care about?  The questions continue for the whole of our lives.  We so want to get it right; stress levels can rise with worry.   We put ourselves under great pressure with thoughts that we may miss the boat of God’s choice, and land in a sea of chaos, because of our own bad decisions.  Therefore, we ask, is it really possible to know God’s will?  Does it have to be so hard?

There is good news — but not easy news,  in answer to the question of knowing God’s will.  God’s Word gives us the answer in Romans 12:2: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  There we have the answer to knowing God’s will; we must let Him change the way we think which will transform us into a new person.  What kind of a person?  A person who resembles Jesus Himself by the way he or she talks, behaves, responds to people when they are kind or unkind, and by the attitudes they maintain when trouble strikes.  When we let God transform us to be like His Son, then we begin to have the mind of Christ.  Is that even possible?  Yes.  Philippians 2:5 tells us, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ.”  Will we ever be perfect?  No, not until we get to heaven, but on earth we can certainly get better.  Like an athlete in training, the more we practice, the closer we get to our goal.  No training — no goal reached.

When we make the choice to obey God’s instruction in Romans 12:2, and ask Him to transform us in behavior and attitude, then the way we think becomes more and more like Jesus.  When our mind becomes more like Jesus, we can better determine what God’s will is for our lives.

Too many Christians, sadly, don’t want to work at living according to God’s instructions.  Too many  Christians don’t even know what God’s instructions are because they don’t want to take the time to read and study His wonderful, holy words to us.  These same Christians will be the ones to complain that God isn’t answering their prayers, or showing them what to do in various situations.

One thing for certain:  we cannot ignore God, refuse to learn about Him, and then expect to know His will for our lives.

Another thing for certain:  we can talk to Him, read about Him, meditate on His instructions, and fully expect to know His will for our lives.

It’s not easy, but it’s wonderful and exciting.  It’s a lifelong adventure.  There’s no joy to compare.  I encourage each of us: determine to pursue God; then His will for your life will unfold as you go along the way.