It happens to everyone. It is inevitable. We all reach a crossroads in life and wonder which way to go. As Christians, we often struggle to discover what God's will for us is at these junctions. Sometimes it's like waiting for advice from a mime, it seems. What is God's will for my life?! Well, I'm here to tell you to settle down. I'm here to tell you how you can know God's will for your life.
The first thing you have to do is know the Bible and know that it is truly God's Word. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 we read, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” That's some useful Scripture right there! Get this, the Greek word that is here translated “given by inspiration” is more literally translated “breathed.” So the Scriptures have been breathed out of the mouth of God. With that in mind we can come to a relieving, three-step conclusion:
- God is true (John 3:33; Rev. 15:3)
- The Bible is God's Word (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
- Therefore, the Bible is true (John 17:17)
Now, knowing that the Bible is literally God's words, we need to take them with the utmost seriousness. Have you ever had someone in your life you would seek out for sound advice? Well, that person's advice is as good as mud compared to God's. And it just so happens that He tells us about His will for us in His Word! Briefly, I just want to stress the importance of seeking His will. In Matthew 7:21-23, Christ is preaching the sermon on the mount where He says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (emphasis mine). We have to have a true faith, and we must really know God. When Christ says in verse 23, “I never knew you,” the word “knew” is pregnant with special meaning. It doesn't merely mean to have a general knowledge of someone or something, but to know someone or something very intimately.
So, before we ask what road we should be heading down in life, we need to ask ourselves, “Do I know God?” When we truly know God, and our focus is on His glory and not our own, then we will naturally be seeking His will and, as Ephesians 5:10 says, “finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” After all, we are servants (more literally slaves bought at a price) of a Great Master.
Ultimately, the will of God for everyone can be found in Matthew 5:48, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Woah, woah, woah. We are to be perfect?! As in completely, without one single blemish perfect? That's impossible! Think of it this way: God is perfect in righteousness. If He is to set a standard of righteousness for us to meet, how could He possibly make that standard any lower? We cannot be perfect, but that's where the beautiful truth of the gospel comes in: Jesus Christ met that standard for us! All I can say to that is, “Wow!” Why would you not want to submit yourself to a just God who gave you a right standing even though you did nothing to deserve it? That's the God I want to live my life for! Jesus says in John 14:15, ““If you love Me, keep My commandments.” That's simply put. Obedience is a must. It is God's will for us to be like Him and follow in obedience. This is what we see in the example of the righteous man in Psalm 1. The first two verses say, “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.” This is the example we should live by.
Now, I know this might not sound like it would help you with specific life choices. What college major should you pursue? What does God want you to do after you graduate? Is it God's will that you marry a specific person? These are common questions people want answers to. While the Word of God doesn't answer questions so specific to our own lives, it does give us this. God, in Isaiah 45:2, tells us, “‘I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron.” God cares about you, even in the little parts of your life. Imagine life as a pathway. Without God there are twists and turns in the path, and from our current perspective, we cannot see what is beyond those twists and turns. When you focus your love and attention on Him instead of yourself, though, He guides you and makes your path straight so that you can see what He would have you do. Trust in God. Pray for wisdom and discernment, and God will be gracious to give it to you (James 1:5). Trust Him. Obey Him. Surrender yourself completely to Him. That should be your first priority no matter what.
All Bible references from the New King James Version.
