How do I know God’s will?

One of the toughest things to do in our humanness is to yield our wills to God.  We want what we want, and that typically drives our decisions.  Gratefully, Jesus prayed in the Garden that He wanted God’s will to be done, not His own human will (though as one of the Persons of the Trinity, Jesus DID truly desire what the Father wanted).  Saying “yes” to God and “no” to our own fears and desires isn’t all we’re up against as we try to live obediently as Christians.  How do we even know what God’s will is?  I’m not used to God speaking clearly from the heavens to direct me – and I’m guessing you don’t usually hear from Him that way, either.

God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit by reminding us of what we know of His history, character, and plans as they are revealed through the Bible.  If you don’t know much about what’s in the Bible then you won’t know much about God or His will in this world.  That makes it tougher for you to be a part of His plans for our world, so what do we need to do to better see WHAT God is doing and HOW we fit into things?

The first challenge is to simply read the Bible.  Not just the “red letter” parts in the Gospels, but the whole Bible.  Allow God to engage you in the stories of success and failure in Genesis.  Consider the difficulties endured in Judges and how God brought victory to His people.  Learn the lessons of Ruth and Esther, of Ezra and Nehemiah.  Marvel at the tales of the prophets, like Daniel, Elijah, and Elisha.  Are those folks too lofty for you to identify with them?  They are just like you.  Read that again.  Don’t believe me?  

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.  James 5:16-18

In the New Testament, we’re reminded that there was nothing supernatural about the Twelve who were chosen by Jesus.  Peter was always getting ahead of himself.  Thomas had doubts; James and John fussed over who would be in charge; and Matthew was distinctively different from many in the group – he didn’t even know how to fish!  Normal folks.  So were Lazarus and Mary and Martha and Mary Magdalene.  Just like you.

All of the stories show us how believers lived life, and not all of the tales are tidy.  Anyone can make a mistake and head down the wrong path.  Even Paul did that.  Courage to stand in our faith can ebb and flow sometimes.  It did for Peter.  And John Mark.  Just like you.

Today I was seeking some answers from God about a particular issue.  What did I do?  I prayed and asked God to give me something from His Word that would offer direction for my concern.  What did He do?  Immediately after praying, a story from Scripture came to mind – prompted by the Holy Spirit – which spoke clearly to my concern.  That’s the way God does it.  We study to know Him.  We study the Bible to understand His heart and His truth.  We study so we know where to look when we need direction for ourselves.

You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.  2 Timothy 3:15-17

What was my concern?  I’ll keep that between me and God for now.  Just know that when you seek answers for life, look to the Author of life itself.  No matter the problem; no matter the question; God has the answer.  Just ask.

Jacob