“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
– Matthew 6:10 (NIV)
If you grew up in the church, chances are you’ve heard at least one person say, “I just want to know God’s will!” when they are faced with a tough decision to make in their life.
“Knowing God’s Will” is common Christian jargon. We know God is author of it all, so we want to submit everything unto Him naturally. But what does that exactly entail?
Choices, choices, choices…
Christians say to one another, “Pray that I’ll know God’s will,” typically they’re referring to a specific life situation in which they have more than one option. For example . . .
- Pondering school choices. Should I go to that out-of-state college or stick with my local school? Would it be wise, or nuts, for me to go back to school at my age?
- Weighing employment possibilities. Should I take the job offer in Amarillo . . . or start looking in Topeka . . . or just keep the job I have?
- Mulling over a big purchase. Should I put an offer on the older but larger house or the newer one?
- Wondering about a romantic relationship. Is this “the one” or does God want me to keep looking?
All of those things are not bad things, but what if God’s will is much bigger than that?
5 Questions to Ask If God’s Will Isn’t Clear
The Bible is explicit about many things, but some life situations are more gray than black and white because they’re not discussed or “covered” specifically in Scripture. When facing decisions where God’s Word isn’t specific and overt, these ten questions can be great diagnostic tools.
- How can I bring God the most glory here? Sometimes one particular option is more honoring to God than the others because, for example, it requires more trust or stepping away from temptation.
“Do it all for the glory of God.” 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31 - Am I just relying on my own understanding or am I trusting in the Lord? Often we have to act without having every fact or piece of data. We have to trust God.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” PROVERBS 3:5 - Am I primarily trying to please God or please people? Our ultimate audience is the Lord, not our friends, parents, mentors, classmates, or neighbors.
“We make it our goal to please him . . . for we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” 2 CORINTHIANS 5:9–10 - Is this a case of “seems too good to be true”? We have to remember that our world is alluring and under the control of a destructive deceiver whose goal is to ruin our lives.
“There is a way that appears right, but in the end it leads to death.” PROVERBS 14:12 - Does this choice move me toward or away from a holier life? We are called to become more and more like Jesus in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Some choices facilitate that better than others.
“Be holy in all you do.” 1 PETER 1:15
Were these questions helpful? If so, please let us know in the comments! And if you’d like 5 MORE questions you can reflect on to find God’s will, check out our book from the Made Easy Series, Knowing God’s Will:
Knowing God’s Will Made Easy
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This newest addition to the popular “Made Easy” series is a clear and easy-to-use road map to give you confidence along the journey. This little book is packed with answers to tough questions, like:
- Who is God and why should I trust him?
- What is God’s will?
- How can I recognize God’s leading?
- How does the Bible say God guides us?
- What does God do with failure?
- And more!
