One of the questions that people pondering issues around their faith have more than any other, revolves around the issue of “How To Know God’s Will?” This is not a simple question to answer; but let’s tackle it.
God has said some very basic things about God’s will that is common to everyone without exception. God wants an eternal relationship with everyone in which they know of God’s unconditional love, forgiveness and acceptance. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” So it’s clear that God’s will is that everyone have and enjoy the benefits of this eternal relationship with Him. If we don’t understand this general part of God’s will for everyone, it’s unlikely that we will ever really know any specific areas of God’s will for our individual lives.
Another thing common to God’s will for everyone is that everyone should live lives that reflect that special relationship with God. Often churches and other houses of faith created burdensome lists of rules to tell how this is done. Such lists almost always have the opposite intended effect and prevent most folks from having the healthy wholesome relationship with their Creator than God intended. So let me make it simple: God’s will is that our lives reflect our love of God and others and that we treat others with honesty and kindness. I could go on with more examples of ways to know God’s will that is common to everyone, but I think you get the message.
However, our question “How to Know God’s Will” is NOT on how to know God’s general will for everyone. It’s about “How do I know God’s will for ME in MY LIFE” on these matters on which the Bible doesn’t speak on specifically. Examples are like: Does God want me to be single or in a relationship; If in a relationship, then with who; Where does God want to me live; What does God want me to do for a living?
These questions are but a few more areas in which we would like to know God’s specific will for our individual lives. Can a person know God’s will in those things as well? The answer is “Absolutely Yes!” However, knowing God’s will for deeply personal matters requires us to remember that God’s will for us in these individual situations never negates God’s will that is general for everyone. Even in knowning God’s will in personal matters, we must reflect Christ’s vision for our character beyond just what is good for us.
Therefore knowing God’s will in personal matters always require four things and all these must be present in order for it to be God’s will; (1) it must enrich your life, (2) it must also benefit others, (3) it must glorify God and (4) it must line up with God’s word.
Now that you know the four things required in “How to Know God’s Will,” join us this Ascension Sunday morning for worship at Covenant. I will seek to share a greater understanding of them as we look at the passage of scripture from the first congregational meeting of the Christian church, Acts 1:15-17, 21-26.
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