Knowing Christ's Will

What is Christ's Will for my Life?

Do you wrestle with this question? If so, you are not alone! Many people struggle in the effort to gain a clear understanding of exactly how and where God is leading them. Many of us feel discouraged when we cannot seem to grasp a clear understanding of God's will for our lives. Whether we face a decision about a relationship, a vocation, a call to ministry, or any other matter, the questions of "Where do I start?", "What am I supposed to do now?" and "How will I know?" can be very daunting.

God often gives direction through a different kind of "sign" than many people are expecting. Many earnest Christians go about seeking guidance the wrong way. They look for a miraculous sign, a flashy confirmation, or a tingly feeling for revelation without even bothering to look in the place that God reveals His will most clearly - His Word. The Bible is the first place we should start in our quest to understand God's will for our lives.

God's Will for Every Believer

Whenever certain parts of God's will seem unclear to us, we should start by seeking to understand what is clear. There are certain things that the Bible clearly tells us are God's will for all people. When seeking God's guidance, we should make sure that our lives are exhibiting these things:

1. God wants us to repent of our sin, to believe in Him, and to trust in Him for our salvation.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

Find out more about how you can be forgiven from your sin and know Christ as your Savior. When we sincerely confess and turn away from our sins, God forgives us. He even goes so far as to erase it from His memory! Believers will still struggle with sin, but they don't have to be defeated by it. God's will is that all people would turn from their sins and receive His gift of salvation.

2. God wants us to follow Him in obedience, surrendering every part of our lives to Him.

If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. Luke 9:24

Jesus wants to be the Lord of every part of our lives. Some Christians think that there is nothing wrong with living for themselves - holding onto things like selfish ambitions, comfort, or money. They just don't think that they can give up that particular pleasure or sin, or that they could move that far out of their comfort zone. Jesus tells us those who make sacrifices in order to follow Him will be blessed, while those who refuse to surrender certain parts of their lives to Christ will miss out on these blessings. We must be willing to obey God in anything, anywhere, anytime that He calls us to, no matter what the cost.

3. God wants us to know Him

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18

We have been called to constantly walk in a close relationship with Jesus Christ. Just as our friendships with people are deepened and strengthened by our spending time with them, our relationship with Christ will grow deeper as we spend more time with Him through prayer and as we get to know Him more by reading His Word. As we seek to know Jesus more, He will continually reveal Himself to us, transforming us into the people He wants us to be.

4. God wants us to make Him known

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:20a

The good news of salvation we have received in Christ is not a message that is meant for us to keep to ourselves. No matter where we are, God wants us to be constantly sharing this good news with others. God wants every believer to be involved in sharing the gospel in some way to people who do not know Him - both across the street and around the world.

The Bible clearly shows us that these things are God's will for every believer. Have you asked God to forgive you of your sins, surrendering every part of your life to Him? Are you obeying the instructions for right living that He has clearly laid out in the Bible? Are you daily seeking to know Jesus Christ and to make Him known? How do your own priorities in your decision making align with the priorities that God wants you to have? If you desire to know Christ's will for your life, look deeply into your own heart and make sure that you desire these things that He desires.

God's Will for Your Life

God's Word provides us with the practical guidelines that we need to know for following His will. Yet we may still have questions that we do not find the specific answer for in a biblical passage. You will not find a verse in the Bible that says "Thou shalt marry Christine," "Thou shalt go to medical school," or "Thou shalt become a missionary to Africa." When it comes to specific callings like these, God often uses other means to guide us towards His will for us. After consulting God's Word for direction, we should also pay attention to the following things.

1. Circumstances

And we know that all things work together for good, for them that love the Lord. Romans. 8:28a

You may have heard the saying, "When God closes a door, He opens a window." God often works through the circumstances in our lives to reveal to us what He wants us to do. He may choose to close an opportunity that we were hoping for because He has something better in store for us. Circumstances should not be the only factors that guide our decision making, but we should pay attention to what God may want to teach us through them. We should seek to see our circumstances from God's perspective, trusting in His perfect ways and perfect timing.

2. Counsel of Mature Christians

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20

If you seek advice from unwise and unstable people, it is likely that you will receive bad advice. Sometimes Christian friends and mentors can see your situation from a different perspective, help you think through things, and share insight as to what would be the wisest decision to make. We should not be afraid to talk to people who give us advice we do not want to hear. Because people are fallible and are not all-knowing, we should allow the Holy Sprit to be our primary advisor. Yet sometimes God uses people to speak truth to us - just as He used the prophets of the Old Testament to reveal His will.

3. Prayer

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him. James 1:5

God will confirm His will for us as we diligently bring our requests before Him in prayer. When we spend time in prayer, God often gives us a deepening conviction through the Holy Spirit about a certain course of action. When the Holy Spirit moves in our hearts, peace and certainty come as we begin to clearly sense God's direction. Sometimes God communicates to us in miraculous ways, in dreams or vision, or in strong emotions. Yet often He speaks to us in a still small voice. When we patiently quiet our hearts before Him in prayer, we make it possible to hear His still small voice.