Q: How do you discern what is God’s will for you, when circumstances and situation are confusing, when you are under a lot of pressure, and when you can not rely on people-what they say/advise? —Mirjana
A: Mirjana, it’s important for believers in Jesus to discern God’s will because they want to do what’s right and to honor and please Him (2 Corinthians 5:9, Colossians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:1).
To discern God’s will, Paul says we must first surrender ourselves to the Lord (Romans 12:1), reject “the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you . . . by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2). God wants us to know His will (Romans 12:2). And we can!
God uses many means to guide us, but His primary means of guidance is the Bible. The Psalmist declares: “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). The Bible is our guidebook and standard for living (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God’s Word reveals God’s will (John 7:17). To know it, we need to know God’s Word (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:9-11). For example, “God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives” (1 Thessalonians 4:7). You can take it that anything that contributes to your holiness is God’s will for you, and anything that makes you impure is not His will.
And you are not alone in this quest. You have the Holy Spirit—“the Spirit of Truth”, the “Counselor” (John 14:16, NIV)—to teach you to understand God’s Word (John 14:26, 16:13; 1 John 2:20,27). That’s why you need to “let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves” (Galatians 5:16-18, 25).
God also leads us into His will through the circumstances of life, “opening and closing doors” (Acts 16:7; 1 Corinthians 16:8-9; 2 Corinthians 2:12). In limited ways (1 Corinthians 4:4), our conscience determines how we live (Acts 23:1; Romans 13:5; Hebrews 13:18; 1 Peter 3:16). And undoubtedly, God placed us in a community of believers so that we can seek spiritual counsel from mature believers and godly leaders (Proverbs 12:15, 15:22, 24:6; Ecclesiastes 4:13, 9:17-18). These are but some of the means God uses to reveal His will.
Even as we discern God’s leading through these varied ways, none of these should replace or supercede the authority of His Word. We need to always ask: “But what do the Scriptures say about that?” (Galatians 4:30; Acts 17:11). For God never guides His people contrary to the clear principles of His Written Word (Isaiah 8:20, 35:8; Jeremiah 8:9).
The apostle James knew that it is often not so easy to know what to do—given so many diverse, equally viable, contrasting, and conflicting options. That’s why we need to pray and ask God for wisdom and clear directions (James 1:5; Philippians 4:6). “Then you will experience God’s peace. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
To read more about how to discern God’s will for your life, click here to read a helpful online booklet. —K.T. Sim
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tom felten on May 30, 2012 at 9:50 am
Good thoughts, KT. The will of God is presented in His Word. As we follow Him in obedience, we are fulfilling His will. Within the parameters of His instruction, we have the opportunity to choose careers, interests, friends, and even spouses!
poohpity on May 30, 2012 at 1:04 pm
I think God’s will for my life is to know Him, be fair, just and to show mercy.(Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:8). It seems funny that one can get stuck discerning God’s will in one area yet there are hundreds of others areas that our decisions are quick and we may not think about God’s will yet still make those choices. So do I seek God’s will in every area of my life not just for this decision? Are my roots grounded in God and in that foundation I understand that God has given us free will and does not really micro manage us but has given us guidelines.