How to Know God's Will for Your Life

What is the will of God?

Everybody wants a bit of guidance in their life. As Christians, we know and believe that God has a plan for our lives and we must rely on Him for direction.

The Bible has plenty to say about God’s will. For example, the Bible says that those who do the will of God will abide forever (see 1 John 2:17). Jesus told His followers, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). It is no wonder that we are concerned to find what the will of God is.

But God has promised to direct us into His will. Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” But even though we have His promise, our hearts long to know the answer to this question: “How do we know God’s will?”

There is no cookie-cutter answer to that question, but I can tell you what I do know. First, let’s define what that phrase actually means.

When people say, “God’s will,” they sometimes mean different things. James 4:13-15 says this, “Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"-- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’”

God’s will is His desire. This passage explains that any plan we have for our lives may or may not happen. Our desires are nothing compared to His. We are “a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” Submit yourself to the Lord and He will act.

God's will is also for us is to obey His commandments, and to love one another, be unified and focused on Him. In 1 Peter 3:17, we read: “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.” God’s will may involve suffering for His glory.

The second way people talk about God’s will is more specific to our lives :)For example, Jeremiah was called before he was born to be a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 explicitly says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." God knew Jeremiah before he was even formed. God’s calling (aka “God’s will”) for Jeremiah’s life was for him to become a prophet.

And Paul. He was called to be an apostle and evangelist. Romans 1:1 says, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle.” He knew his calling.

I believe that each of us does have a calling—God does have a plan for our lives. Finding His will for your life can be complicated to find. Yet, it shouldn't be. Your first job is to follow the general will and obey what He has written in the Bible. Love God, love others. But Jesus also said in John 10:3-4 that He is the Shepherd and we, as the sheep, can hear and recognize His voice. Ask for His leading and He will guide you. Sometimes He will speak to you through strange circumstances and sometimes through the mouth of a friend. He will speak to you while you are reading the Bible.

But, God will almost always give you His will for you one piece at a time. He's not going to tell you your entire future in one sitting. Your life is far more complicated than that! But He will give you little impressions, thoughts, dreams and sometimes images. He will speak to you more about His immediate will than His will for the future.

Then again, He loves you so much and He created you with His plans in mind--you are born with certain gifts, and others you develop along the way.

Knowing the will of God is really all about knowing God. The more you know Him, the clearer His will for your life will become. Be not consumed with finding “the will of God for your life.” Instead, serve Him in whatever way you can. His will will find you, not the other way around.