If God has something he wants us to do wouldn’t you think he would let us know? Yet there still remain scores of individuals who have not discovered God’s will for their life.
If you are looking for answers, there is a plethora of how-to guides in your local Christian bookstore that will tell you how to conjure up God’s will, but you may be disappointed.
Most of them suggest doing spiritual gift tests which are simply baptized aptitude tests and personality surveys. It is hard to imagine the gifted Corinthians doing one of these before they spoke in tongues.
Others tell you to look for signs, omens, or coincidental circumstance that may verify what you are doing is God-ordained. They say if God wants you to do something he will open doors. Be careful! The door may be a prison door since Paul spent most of his ministry behind bars.
You could ask your spiritual advisor, pastor, or mentor. Other people would love to tell you what to do. The closer that person is to God the better chance you have of getting the proper message relayed, right?
If you are a Calvinist who thinks that God forces his will upon your every step then stop reading this right now. Your confusion about God’s will is God’s will. I am not a Calvinist.
If you are like most people what you end up doing is praying fervently. Unfortunately God never responds about that acting career. According to one website, this doesn’t necessarily mean anything. It could be that God is testing your patience. Wait, indefinitely.
Most people you ask will admittedly tell you that knowing God’s will is difficult.
I am not like most people. God’s will for your life is not difficult to understand though sometimes it can be difficult to accept if you want God’s will to align with yours.
It has nothing to do with personality tests, circumstances, opened doors, or prophetic utterance. It is ‘made known’ to us in the Bible rightly divided (Eph 1:9). Paul says you are unwise if you do not know it (Eph 5:17).
Here it is:
1. Salvation is God’s will for you and other people. (1 Tim 2:4)
2. Coming to a knowledge of the truth of the Bible rightly divided. (1 Tim 2:4)
3. Giving thanks to God. (1 Thess 5:18)
God will not tell you to be a doctor or a bus driver. He will not tell you who to marry. He will not give you insider information on which stocks to trade.
What he has done is give you his Son and the source of truth in the Bible. Make your own decisions based on them. Do not steal money from people (Eph 4:28). Do not marry someone who does not love God as much as you do (Eph 5:21).
“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” – 1 Thess 5:18
Article Index Published: July 24, 2009
Last Modified: July 16, 2016