God's will needs to be our will

When I was younger, as with most people, I had all these ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up, anything from a garbage truck driver to a kicker for the Carolina Panthers (the next #4). The one serious idea of a career that I did have was being a soldier. When I was in fifth grade I lost the ability to walk completely and after that I knew that I couldn't be a foot soldier. I didn't know until a few years later, however, that disabled people cannot be in the military.

I wasn't upset when I learned this because it makes sense that all soldiers should be physically able to defend the nation. It wasn't until a year or so ago that I saw that writing seems to be what God created me to do. Nonetheless it was a situation (not the only one) where I had face the reality that my plans for my life aren't usually God's plans for my life. God didn't come to me in dream and tell me that I would become a writer or anything like that, but He did lead me to writing. That's my topic today: what God's will is and how we can understand more about God's will.

So, what is God's will? The Bible is the best place to look for answers to these kind of questions, since it is God's heart put to paper and it is God breathed. The will of God is explained in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (emphasis added) is, "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." His will is for "all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Once you become a Christian you are "to be conformed to the image of his Son." (Romans 8:29)

Simply put, God's will can be defined as: for all people to accept Christ's gift of grace and to become more like Christ. I'm not trying to oversimplify the will of God or say that I have some insider information on God's will, but I think my definition is a pretty good working definition. Now, as far as being saved, I've done that part, the hardest part is becoming like Christ. I'll write about becoming like Christ another time, as it is a topic that deserves it's own discussion.

To know God's will is to know God, which is a lifelong pursuit. Romans 12:2 discusses this, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." The renewal of your mind is daily prayer and Bible study. Daily prayer and Bible study will help you to start to understand more about God's character by building (and maintaining) a relationship with the Lord. And this is how "you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is."

We're also instructed to "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18), to do good works (1 Peter 2:15), to be "sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality" (1 Thessalonians 4:3), and to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:18-20) By obedience to God's commands you will further your understanding of His will even more. Obedience to His commands is also a part of building your relationship with God.

Be warned that God's will isn't without suffering or hardships, in fact sometimes suffering is part of His will.  1 Peter 3:17 says, "For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." The best example of this is Jesus' crucifixion. Isaiah 53:10 spells out what God's will for Jesus was,

"Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand."

Jesus came into this world to suffer and to die to atone for our sins, but he was resurrected later on. He knew this suffering and dying was part of God's will, Matthew 26:39 confirms this by quoting Jesus himself: "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.""

Now, if you are looking for specifics on God's plans for your life -- like where to live, where to work, who to marry -- then you probably won't get the answer that you're expecting. You have to trust that through, again, getting to know God (by walking with the Lord, obeying Him, and relying on the Holy Spirit) that He will lead you to make the right decisions in accomplishing His "good, pleasing and perfect will." Proverbs 11:5 says, "The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness." Remember, that Holy Spirit does dwell within us to be our guide in making decisions. The ultimate key to this is wanting God's will instead of ours. Psalm 37:4, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

I'll leave you with a question: will you make His will for your life, your will for your life?