July 25, 2004

Discovering God’s Will

Romans 12:1-2

People often ask, “How can I find God’s will for my life?” They are usually not speaking in general terms, but rather they are thinking about specific life situations. It seems to me that many times our prayer seems to be, “How can I know God’s specific will for this situation I am presently facing?” One place to point folks toward is Jeremiah 29:11-13:

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (NIV)

This passage reminds me that I am not an accident. I don’t have to figure everything out for myself. God has plans for my life. God’s plans will be better than my own plans for my life. He gives us both a hope and a future. This seems to be what the world is looking for, desiring more than anything else. The future is always bright for the Christian, because Jesus will be a part of our future.

If we are going to discover the will of God, we need to be looking into his Word. There is some direction given to us in this Romans passage.

First of all, if I am going to find God’s will for my life I must become a living sacrifice. Paul is reminding the Romans that before Christ they offered up their bodies to sin, but now we are to offer them to God as an offering of thanks, in response to His grace. In the Old Testament sacrificial system, worshippers offered their best to God. God still desires that we give Him our best. Ourselves! We are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. This involves giving God control of our lives. We surrender all the keys of our lives. The question that we each need to ask ourselves is, “Have I surrendered all and everything to the Lord?” We find the will of God by offering ourselves entirely to God.

In the first part of verse two we find the next thing we must do. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world.” We are to resist conformity to the world. J.B. Phillips translated this part of the verse, “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.” When referring to the world, we are meaning ‘society organized apart from God.’ The world wants us to think like it thinks; it wants us to have the same goals. We live in a world that tries to get us to conform to its patterns.

In the second part of verse two, Paul reminds us to allow God to transform our minds. The Bible not only talks about a changing of the heart, it also speaks of a change of mind as well. Our thinking and our attitudes affect us. Perhaps we need to pray that Christ not only be the Lord of hearts but of our heads as well.

As we walk in obedience to what the Word tells us in these verses, there are some things that will happen in our lives. We will be able to test something and see if it is God’s will. Testing is a way of seeing if something works. There are kinds of tests that one can take, but the purpose of test is to see if the teaching worked. Did I learn something? We can test God’s will in our lives by seeing that His truth is working in our lives.

According to Romans 12:1-2, there are three reasons why I need to know what God’s will is: His will is good. His will is always better than following my own will and way. The verse also reminds us that His will is pleasing. For the believer, we desire to please God. Nothing is as critical for us as pleasing God. God’s will is perfect. We should seek His will because it will always be in our best interest.

Finding the will of God in all of the activities of life is one area where many Christians desire a simple formula. If I just follow these simple three steps, then I will always be able to discern the will of God for my life. Life is not that neatly compartmentalized. Yet, with that said, there are some guides that assist the Christian in seeking out God’s best for their lives.

Prayer – Prayer is a key element in discovering God’s will and plans for our lives.

Word – God’s Word is described as a lamp to our feet and a light for our path (Psalm 119:105). One of the ways in which God speaks and communicates to us is through His Word. We must systematically read and study His Word. Through His Word He will direct our paths.

Accountability – Finding another believer who we can share and pray with is indispensable for Christians. We need counsel and advice from Godly mentors and colleagues who will hold us accountable. We can drift into dangerous territory when we fail to listen to wise godly counsel.

Circumstances – Where are you right now? Why are you where you are right now? How has and how will God use me in my present circumstance? We are not where we are today by accident. Before trying to change our circumstances, we need to inquire of the Lord as to what he may desire to do in and through us in our present assignments. It is also possible that our present assignment is preparing us for other or future opportunities that the Lord has in mind for us.

The ministry of the Holy Spirit – There are times as well when the Holy Spirit begins a tugging at our heart regarding some changes the Lord wants to make in our lives. We believe in the witness of the Holy Spirit. In making His will known to us, he begins a moving in our hearts prompted by the Holy Spirit. As believers, we want to be sensitive to the moving of the Lord in our lives.