Knowing God's Will

Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a script for your life telling you all the things you were meant to do? Then again, maybe you want to have your life surprise you. The truth is, there is a basic script that is written for us. That is, our creator, God, has a plan for our lives. We are told in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “Plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future and a hope.” God has a good plan for us. The challenge is for us to understand this plan.

          So, how are we to figure out this plan for our life? The answer is to discover God’s will, even though it is often different than our will. If we can figure out what God has willed for us, then we can know what the plan is. The way to figure out God’s will is through discernment.

            The first step of discernment is to be close to God. It makes sense that we won’t be able to know what God wants if we have gone astray from God. If we are separated from God, we will not be able to hear His calling out to us.

The second step is to be in consistent prayer with God and to seek out the truth of His word. Since these are two of the main ways God communicates with us, we must keep them as constants in our life.

            The third step is to test what you feel God is telling you to do. The first test is that it will not contradict God’s word found in the Bible. The second test is open and closed doors. What I mean by this is that as you walk forward in the plan you believe God has for you, if it is in God’s will, the door will open and you will reach the place God is leading you. If it is not in God’s will, God will close the door.

            Lastly, God will give you a sense of peace in your life when you are in His will. If you are not at peace, this could be God telling you to do something different. Along with this, you need trustworthy friends who can help you see the signs God is putting in your life. In this process there is collective wisdom.

            Don’t sit around wondering what is God’s will. Seek it out! When you do, your life will be so much more meaningful and joyous. Blessings.