How to Know God's Will

I first thought seriously about knowing God’s will when I was getting close to finishing school. Everyone asked what I was going to do next, and I didn’t have an answer. But in my mind, God would reveal what I was meant to do, and I’d be set. I would have direction for life, and the dilemma would be history. I would know God’s will once and for all. 

That’s not how it turned out, of course. God gave direction on what to study, and I believe it’s His will for me to be studying now. But there are more questions: what am I going to do when I finish studying? Where should I be working? How should I be spending my time? And knowing God’s will isn’t reserved for big things like what to study or where to live or who to marry; it comes into everyday decisions too. It’s wonderful to think God is so involved in our life. But how can we know God’s will? I haven’t found a magic formula (current decision + God’s will = ?), and I don’t believe there is one. But I learned some things recently which help me navigate this desire to live in God’s will, and I want to share because I know it can be hard and confusing.

KNOW HIS VOICE

To recognize God revealing His will to us, we have to be familiar with His voice. You know when you’re a crowd of new people, there's a steady hum of voices, and suddenly you hear someone you know? You pick their voice above everyone else’s, and you don’t feel alone anymore? That’s what it’s like with knowing God’s will. There’s lots of noise – people’s opinions, social pressures, media, and expectations. If we don’t know God’s voice it will blend in, and we’ll be confused and bombarded. 

We become familiar with God’s voice by spending time with Him – in prayer, in the Bible, in His creation – the same as we get to know someone else. If we’re in communication with God, we’ll recognize His voice. The Bible reveals what God is like, and what His heart for us is. It’s also important to know, because Satan can mask himself and present things which seem like God’s will. But if they don’t line up with the Bible, they can’t be from God because He doesn’t contradict Himself. So knowing the Bible helps discern who the suggestion comes from!

BE SURRENDERED AND OBEDIENT

When Christy, in Christy by Catherine Marshall, struggles with knowing God’s will, Miss Alice Henderson gives her this verse: ‘If any man will to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.’ (John 7:17) My reaction was similar to Christy’s: how is that relevant? But as I thought about it, it became clearer: if anyone will to do God’s will, then they’ll know. We have to be surrendered and willing to obey whatever God tells us. Will God reveal His will if we’re only curious about it? If we’re interested in knowing, but not ready to lay down whatever He asks to do it?

Then, I was reading John 8:31-32: ‘If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed: and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ It’s after we continue in God’s word – obey and live out what we already know – He reveals more truth to us. So, another part of knowing God’s will is obeying what He’s already shown us.

USE INITIATIVE

The most fascinating thing I learned about God’s will was from a sermon by Ray Comfort. (I recommend watching it here, if you get a chance! Thanks, Paige, for recommending it to me! :) He points out that God expects us to use initiative. God has given plenty of knowledge in the Bible about His will. For example, Galatians 6:2 tells us to bear one another’s burdens, which fulfils the law of Christ. We don’t need to ask whether helping someone is God’s will. Ray illustrates by saying if we saw an elderly lady fall in the street, would we stop and ask ‘God what is your will for me here?’ No, we know His will is for us to help the lady. Maybe He stays silent sometimes when we ask to know His will, because he’s already revealed it. If it’s sharing salvation and the hope of Christ, if it’s helping others, if it’s anything He tells us to do in His word, we know it’s His will. Our job is to trust Him, and do it. The Bible often talks about knowing God’s will in past tense. So, the third point to knowing God’s will for our lives is taking initiative in areas where His will is already revealed to us (which comes back to knowing His voice through the Bible!).

Sometimes I’ve gotten frustrated with knowing God’s will, and questioned: why can’t God make it obvious what I’m meant to do? He could send a letter, or write it in the sky. But God isn’t a machine to give us answers. He’s our Father, and more than anything, He wants a relationship with us. If He gave us missives from heaven every time we wanted to know something, we would treat Him like google. Have a question? Just God it. But we can’t have a relationship with google. I think the struggle to know God’s will might be part of His plan to us draw closer to Him. Even when He doesn’t reveal the answers, we can rest, because we know Who He is – our Father who always, always wants what is best for us.

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Have you ever struggled with knowing God’s will? What would you add to this list? Are there other ways we can learn to recognize God’s voice? Do you think God sometimes asks us to come closer to Him before He shows His will?

Also! The giveaway is still open - if you missed it, enter here! And, thanks to feedback from my survey, I’m going to begin posting on schedule! Expect a post every Monday (or maybe Sunday night if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere). They will be inspirational/spiritual/(what genre are my posts?), and if I share anything lighter or more life-y, it will be inbetween. Please pray I’ll grow in time management, and be able to keep my word!