How can I know God’s will for my life?

Answer

It is important to know God’s will. Jesus said that His true relations are those who know and do the Father’s will: “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” «For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.», (Mark 3:35). In the parable of the two sons, Jesus rebukes the chief priests and elders for failing to do the will of the Father; specifically, they “did not repent and believe” «For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. », (Matthew 21:32). At its most basic, the will of God is to repent of our sin and trust in Christ. If we have not taken that first step, then we have not yet accepted God’s will.

Once we receive Christ by faith, we are made God’s children «But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: », (John 1:12), and He desires to lead us in His way «Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. », (Psalm 143:10). God is not trying to hide His will from us; He wants to reveal it. In fact, He has already given us many directions in His Word. We are to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” «In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.», (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

For this is God’s will for you: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We are to do good works: “For so is the will of God, that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:15). And it is God’s will that you should be sanctified: “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication” (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

God’s will is knowable and provable. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer 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.” This passage gives us an important sequence: the child of God refuses to be conformed to the world and instead allows himself to be transformed by the Spirit. As his mind is renewed according to the things of God, then he can know God’s perfect will.

As we seek God’s will, we should make sure what we are considering is not something the Bible forbids. For example, the Bible forbids stealing; since God has clearly spoken on the issue, we know it is not His will for us to be bank robbers—we don’t even need to pray about it. Also, we should make sure what we are considering will glorify God and help us and others grow spiritually.

Knowing God’s will is sometimes difficult because it requires patience. It’s natural to want to know all of God’s will at once, but that’s not how He usually works. He reveals to us a step at a time—each move a step of faith—and allows us to continue to trust Him. The important thing is that, as we wait for further guidance, we remain faithful.

In every direction, we are busy doing the good that we know to do «Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.», (James 4:17).

Often, we want God to give us specifics—where to work, where to live, whom to marry, what car to buy, etc. God allows us to make choices, and, if we are yielded to Him, He has ways of preventing wrong choices (see Acts 16:6-7).

The better we get to know a person, the more acquainted we become with his or her desires. For example, a child may look across a busy street at the ball that bounced away, but he doesn’t run after it because he knows “my dad wouldn’t want me to do that.” He doesn’t have to ask his father for advice on every particular situation; he knows what his father would say because he knows his father. The same is true in our relationship with God. As we walk with the Lord, obeying His Word and relying on His Spirit, we find that we are given the mind of Christ «For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.», (1 Corinthians 2:16). We know Him, and that helps us to know His will. We find God’s guidance readily available. “The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, / but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness” «The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: But the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. », (Proverbs 11:5).

If we are walking closely with the Lord and truly desiring His will for our lives, God will place His desires in our hearts. The key is wanting God’s will, not our own. “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart” «Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.», (Psalms 37:4).

Trust in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. », (Psalm 37:4).