This is a question a lot of people struggle to answer. As Christ-followers, we naturally want to please the Lord, and doing so requires being in the will of God.
But there are a lot of question marks when it comes to knowing exactly what God’s will for your life is. Fortunately, the Scriptures hold the answer. Paul writes to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 5:15–17,
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (NIV)
Now, if the Bible tells us to understand what the will of the Lord is, then we can understand what the will of the Lord is. God is not giving a command to these Ephesian believers that it would be impossible for them to fulfill.
God’s not hiding His will from us. Rather, He wants you to understand what His will is.
I’ve met many Christians who are stressed out, asking, “What’s my destiny?” “What am I supposed to do with my life?” “What career should I choose?” “Who do I marry?” Those things are very important and fall under the canopy of God’s will—but He may not yet have revealed those to you. Those specifics may be unknown to you.
But there are some things in Scripture that God specifically says are His will for every believer. They’re the revealed, known will of God. So we need to first learn and do those things. If you’re not willing to do the known, revealed will of God, why would you expect God to reveal to you that which is unknown?
Let me share two things with you that Scripture says are the will of God for every believer.
Number one, the will of God is that you’d sit at His feet to hear His Word.
In Mark 3:23–31, a multitude was sitting around Jesus, listening to Him teach. Jesus referred to them as family and declared that they were doing the will of God.
Paul, speaking to the Ephesians in Acts 20:32 (ESV) said, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
When God wants to do something in our life, whether it’s to bring salvation, healing, deliverance, peace, or guidance, the primary way He accomplishes it is through His Word.
My friend, take time for the Bible. Take time to read it, reflect upon it, meditate in it, study it—that is the will of God.
Number two, it’s God’s will that you give yourself fully to Him.
The will of God is giving yourself to the Lord and then giving yourself to something that He’s doing through people. Second Corinthians 8:3–5, “For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.”
The Macedonian believers fully threw themselves behind Paul and his missionary endeavors. As a result, God held them up as an example for the Corinthians to know what it looked like to do His will. They were going through a great trial, a great time of lack, and yet they gave superabundantly.
If you want to do God’s will, give yourself, mind and body, fully to God, and then be present in what God is doing in the world through your participation, giving, and prayers.
My friend, God has made His will known to you through the Scriptures. I’ve just shared with you two important things—and when you do them, you can be certain you are doing God’s will.
So here are my questions to you today: Are you sitting at the feet of Jesus and letting the Word of God fill you? Are you giving yourself fully to the Lord?
If not, there’s no better time to start than right now.
