06 November, 2017

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.

~

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!

18 comments:

  1. I definitely have periods in which I struggle with knowing what God wants me to do. I get anxious, and worry that I'm going to waste the time and opportunities He's given me. Thank you for your advice that to find out, we need to deepen our relationship with Him, not treat Him like Google - I'd never thought of it like that!
    - Jem Jones

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    1. I hope it will be able to be a help to you! It's hard to know God's will sometimes, and I'm not saying I have it all together. I totally relate to worrying about the future and wasting His time too. We're in this together! xx

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  2. Thank you for sharing your words of wisdom Jessica! I often find myself in a place where I question God's will and purpose for my life. I find it so difficult to entrust my foggy future into God's hands and have faith that what He's doing is for my best. Thank you for sharing these reminders of truth! :)

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    1. You're welcome, Britt! Praise God. :) It is hard to have faith - I have those questions often too. But it's encouraging to know His thoughts and plans for us are far above ours. Thanks so much for your comment! Stay strong, friend!

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  3. Person! This is so well written and such good truth! I liked how you brought lots of examples and life into it. It makes it real. As I said good pointers too! And I will be praying for you! :)

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    1. And the many and varied reasons go on. Thanks so much for this comment, person - it was an answer to an unspoken prayer. xx

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  4. This post is so helpful! I love the points you shared!

    And thanks for commenting on my blog - it made my day! <3

    -Madeline Joy

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    1. Aw, praise God! I'm so glad it could be a help to you.

      You're welcome - it was a pleasure to visit your blog, and thanks heaps for your comment too! :)

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  5. oh wow i can soooo relate to this! when i graduated in '16 i had no idea what i wanted to do with my life..and then God opened a door. I am now pursuing that. also back in March God had closed a door with a possible relationship. and then in april one of my friends who i had never in a million years started to begin pursuing me. and we are currently in the progess. and i still want to make sure that it is God's will.
    thank u <3 keep up the strong work

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    1. That's so encouraging to hear of God working in your life! It's amazing how He leads us one step at a time. Praying you find certainty of God's will with your current relationship! That's a big decision. Thank you - your comments are always a blessing! xx

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  6. Thanks for this Jessica! Great post. It's hard to know God's will.... and to remember to seek His will even in what might seem "insignificant".
    I like the song Thy Will by Hillary Scott. Actually I was just being reminded this morning in my time with the Lord about His will being done. I was reading in Acts 13 and the first few verses were saying how Saul (Paul) and Barnabas were teaching at a church in Antioch but God called them somewhere else. Sometimes our plans aren't God's plans... but reguardless we need to have His will be done. Like when Jesus prayed in the garden of olives He prayed for God's will to be done.
    Anyways, thanks for this reminder :)

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    1. Thanks, Sarah! It's a really broad topic when you start thinking about it! Thanks for sharing your recent thoughts on God's will. I was actually thinking about the disciples in Acts when I wrote this post! I'm almost up to reading Acts again (I'm in John now) and I'm looking forward to it. The disciples stories are really inspiring. :) Thanks so much for your comment. :)

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  7. Love this, truly a great post. Thanks for sharing, Jessica!!!

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    1. Thanks, Paige! All praise to God. :) Thanks for your sweet comment. xx

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  8. I needed to read this, thank you so much. This is lovely. <3 <3 <3

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    1. Praise God for His timing! I'm glad this could be a blessing to you. :) Thanks for your encouraging comment!

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  9. This was such a wonderful post Jessica and such a great reminder. Thank you so much for sharing. I always wonder about what God has in store for my future. I always wonder which way He would want me to go but at the end of the day, I am reminded of the fact that I do not need to worry because He is already there in my future and all I have to do is trust Him. Trust that she has got me. And that helps me depend on Him. That He is working everything out for a good purpose.

    God bless you Jessica.
    Joanny
    imachoccakeaholic.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Joanny! Thanks for your comment. Praise God this could speak to you. And you're so right - it is all about trust. It doesn't come easy sometimes, but like you said, it will always be worth it. He has amazing plans in store for each of us. Thanks again for you comment - may God bless you too! xx

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