Understanding God’s Will for Your Life
This subject gets me fired up in the best of ways! Through this post, my prayer is that I give an inkling to this incredible topic. Perhaps one of the biggest questions in life among creation is “How do I know God’s Will for my life?” or “What is my purpose in life?” It’s likely that you too have wondered the same thing. You will see me use the terms “God’s Will, Purpose, God’s Plan or Calling” interchangeably throughout this text. I truly hope this post sheds light on understanding God’s Will for you life. Your purpose in life isn’t as suspicious as you think. God’s plan for your life isn’t a big secret.
God’s will for our lives is woven throughout the scriptures and is rooted in God’s love and perfect plan. If you don’t know your purpose right now, I hope that you begin to have an understanding by the end of this post. God’s plan for believers is not to walk this earth confused about this delicate truth. Rather that we would walk boldly in the assurance of our faith, fulfilling your purpose, His will.
I think we must always remember that our finite minds cannot fully comprehend our infinite God. The fact remains that we will not always understand everything all of the time. And I think we need to be okay with that because faith is the evidence of things unseen (Hebrews 11:1). Faith isn’t needed for what we can see, touch and understand, rather a willingness to trust in, rely on and cling to the inerrancy of God’s truth. Let’s be careful we don’t find ourselves like the Pharisees demanding signs from the Lord to support our belief. Instead cry out, Lord, help me with my unbelief!
“Teach me to do Your Will, for You are my God”
Psalm 143:10
Mans Highest Calling
As humans we can be so attached to this world. And some of us believers equate worldly success with God’s provision. So when our earthly life doesn’t go as planned, we question God and ask Him why He’s allowed these things to happen. We forget that we live in a fallen world and difficulty is to be expected. But more importantly we forget or don’t realize that our highest calling is to glorify God.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31
When a 10th grader on my street who has always dreamed of being an Air Force pilot gets diagnosed with cancer and now might never be qualified for the military, we ask God how He’s allowed this to happen. When a child is born with a rare diagnosis that will forever affect his quality of life, we wonder why God formed him this way in his mothers womb. When a family is divided and scorned by addiction, we believe surely God isn’t for us but maybe against us.
While these situations are devasting, God’s provision is not predicated on how well our earthly life pans out for us. It’s not equated to earthly wealth, ease or success. God is still moving in the lives of those whom experience tribulation and God can still use each one of us no matter our circumstances.
I am not downplaying difficulty, I am highlighting that God is with us & that beauty can still come from ashes. He is with us on the mountain tops and in the deepest, desolate valleys. In John 16:33 Jesus promises tribulation but offers us peace. Paul would leave us the example that his life is no longer his own but it belongs to Christ. These are living examples of what it looks like to glorify God with our lives in spite of our trials.
How blessed is the grief stricken life that seeks to bring glory to God.
It’s truly a matter of perspective. Does the Lord bless you or do things of this world, bless you? The Lord gives us what the world cannot. He gives us eyes to see others as He sees them. He gives us an eternal viewpoint in this temporal life. We don’t take our splendor and accolades to heaven.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth”
Matthew 6:19
Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God
Friends, we are called to spread the gospel, to imitate Christ, pursue holiness & glorify God – no matter our earthly circumstances. We glorify God by enjoying Him, declaring who He is, by making God honoring choices, by proclaiming the gospel, by making Him Lord of our lives, not solely our Savior.
At minimum, He calls us to believe. As a result of our belief, we honor & glorify Him, imitate Christ, submit to His Spirit and crucify our fleshly desires. The greatest commandment is to love God and the second is to love others as ourself. Are we doing these things? Or are we still wondering what God’s calling is for our lives? Are we seeking a purpose greater than this? Are we wanting more in this world yet forsaking the foundation which is actually the greatest of these. We can be so quick to wonder why God isn’t blessing us tangibly yet dismiss what He’s doing in us spiritually.
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:35
Understanding God’s Will for Your Life: Bible Verses
Let’s look at what the Bible says about God’s will for our lives! I surely cannot put every bible verse here, but I promise you that The Bible is full of scriptures that lead us according to God’s will for our lives. Post resurrection, just before Jesus went up to the right hand of the Father, He gave what we call, The Great Commission. He calls believers to go out and spread the gospel & to make disciples. The God of all creation wants to use you & I to further the gospel and make disciples! Is that enough?
You know how the Bible says that its alive and powerful, like a double edged sword? In full transparency, this post is equals parts enlightening for you (I hope) and convicting for me. You are not alone. Every believer has found themselves right where you are today. Don’t think something is wrong with you or you aren’t doing something right. His grace is enough. We all have our own unique walk with the Lord and His Spirit will get it right. Take the pressure off your shoulders. We are sheep, He is our Shepard. Our lives should be measured by our fruit, not our circumstances.
A New Creation in Christ
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:11-12
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33
Live like Jesus
Therefore 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 28:19-20
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 1 Thessalonians 4:3
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. Colossians 3:12-13
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus Philippians 2:3
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 1 Peter 2:21
Abide in Christ
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. John 15:4
Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. John 15:9-11
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, Colossians 2:6
He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8
Seeking God’s Will
The Bible reveals God’s will for our lives; do you see it now? The Lord wills that none would perish and that all would come to everlasting life. He calls those of us who are justified in Christ to take up our cross and follow Him. He calls us to be sanctified in truth. To walk on this earth not as sheep with no Shepard but as the light of the world; loving God & our neighbor as ourself. That is our calling. That is God’s Will. He might call some to be a missionary or to write for His glory. He calls some to particular ministry or to start a business. Some to be teachers in public school, while others to homeschool your kids. Abide in Him and He will put those specifics on your heart.
I believe that when we are led by the Holy Spirit, our lives will intersect with God’s Calling, your purpose, God’s plan. The Holy Spirit is our Helper. We have the Spirit of God Himself within us and He is faithful to guide us all the days of our lives. Remember that time is not the same for us as it is with the Lord. So trust the process, abide in Him & wait on Him. That’s faith in it’s simplicity, we complicate it. He will transform your heart and lead you according to His Will. Here, I talk about how the Lord gave me an unsettledness in my spirit about being on social media. He led me away from something that wasn’t good for me. He is a loving and faithful Father like that. And I believe He will do that in every aspect of our lives.
Finally, He calls us all to be faithful with what we have. To be faithful with the little things that are actually the big things.
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. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:15-20
Listen: First Things First – Consumed By Fire
