In Honor of Our Graduates…
How do I Discern God’s Will for My Life?
I thought I’d write a post about the most asked question post graduation. How do I know I am doing God’s will in my pursuits! This is a great question and is asked by many adults as well as students whether it is the tough of taking a new job, getting married, or having children, as believers it is good for us to ask! There are a few aspects of God’s will we must address to answer this question in full.
First, we know that God’s will is for people to be saved. Jesus said that His children are those who know and do the Father’s will: “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:35) . In the parable of the two sons, Jesus rebukes the chief priests and elders for failing to do the will of the Father; specifically, they “did not repent and believe” (Matt. 21:32). At a fundamental and basic level, the will of God is to repent of our sin and trust in Christ. If we have not taken that first step, then we are not in God’s will.
All to often we think of God’s will as a great secret that we must decipher. However, God is not trying to hide His will from us; He reveals it. In fact, much of it is in His written Word. We are to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you” (1 Thes. 5:18). We are to do good works (1 Peter 2:15). And “it is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality” (1 Thes. 4:3).
Also it is important to know that God’s will is knowable and provable. Rom. 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer 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.” This passage gives us an important sequence: the child of God refuses to be conformed to the world and instead allows himself to be transformed by the Spirit. As his mind is renewed according to the things of God, then he can know God’s perfect will.
Stay tuned later this month for part 2.....
