God’s Will as a Way of Life

“How can I discover God’s will for my life?”
“How can I be sure of God’s guidance in my decisions?”
“God, what do you want me to do?”

Practically all followers of Jesus have asked questions like these. Most of us ask these types of questions not so much on a daily basis, but at an important crossroads in our lives, when we’re trying to sort out the best path forward.

But is that really the best view of discerning God’s will: something we do at the “crisis” points in life?

I think there’s a better way, a way that’s upheld throughout the Scriptures.

Making God’s Will a Priority

In this video, I discuss, first, the priority of God’s will, including three main reasons we should make it a priority to seek his will for our lives:

1. We owe it to God, who gave us both biological and spiritual life and thus doubly owns us.
2. We owe it to ourselves, because only through seeking God’s desires for our lives will we find a truly satisfying, meaningful life.
3. We owe it to others, because our decision to seek God’s will (or not) has a ripple effect on everyone around us.

Two analogies in Scripture help us understand why God’s will should be a priority for us: the analogy of a steward and that of an ambassador.

Practicing God’s Will

Next, I discuss the practice of God’s will, emphasizing two main points:

• In God’s eyes, who we are takes priority over what we do. Relationship (with God) is more important than method when it comes to knowing and pursuing his will.
• There’s a human/divine synergy in our decision-making. Much as a married couple makes joint decisions in which it’s nearly impossible to tell which part each played in the process, the choices in our lives are both ours and God’s; we live in dependence on him, but he also gives us freedom. We’re not puppets on a string. There’s a mutuality in seeking God’s will, because there’s always freedom in love.

Summary

In summary, discerning God’s will is a process, not a program; it’s a way of life. And his primary will is to form and forge a Christlike character in us. In turn, who we are (and are becoming) will shape how we behave and what we do.

In Part 2, I discuss certain principles and precepts for seeking God’s guidance.

Read a full article based on a transcript of this video.