Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NLT)
I recall that as a young pastor, two questions frequently arose while counseling people. Perhaps the most frequent question was, “How much sin can I get away with and still be covered by God’s grace?” Another popular question was, “How can I know God’s will for my life?”
The first question still irritates me to this day, but I wonder how many people are still asking the second question. Is there a burning desire to know God’s plans and purposes for one’s life among a significant portion of Christ’s followers? I know it is still a concern for some young people, but I fear it is a minor consideration for many.
As far as knowing God’s will for our lives, it is best to start with the basics. Paul lays it out succinctly for the Thessalonians. Be joyful. Continually pray. No matter what happens, be thankful. That is the foundation if you want to discover God’s will for your life. We know that God has plans for us beyond these three things, but do not underestimate how essential joy, prayer, and thankfulness are to being in God’s will.
One Step at a Time
Behind the question, “What is God’s plan for my life,” often lies a desire to see a roadmap of the future. People want to know who their spouse will be or what career they will pursue. The question often belies an underlying fear of living by faith. Of faith, we read: Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
Only in rare instances will God lay out his plan for our lives. Abraham left his home, not knowing where God would lead him. Joseph had no idea that the fulfillment of his dream would take him from the prison to the palace in one day.
At Paul’s conversion, God told Ananias, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Acts 9:16 (NIV). For most of us, if God were to reveal his will for our lives in totality, we probably wouldn’t answer the call.
Underlying Paul’s exhortation to always be joyful, to keep on praying, and to be thankful regardless of our circumstances, is a recognition that none of us really know what the future may bring. That is the nature of living by faith. Our task is to be sensitive to the voice of the master. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. Isaiah 30:21 (NLT)
Jesus said that his sheep would know his voice. Can we trust him with our futures? It is the Lord who directs your life, for each step you take is ordained by God to bring you closer to your destiny. So much of your life, then, remains a mystery! Proverbs 20:24 (TPT)
Transformed
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NLT)
If we desire to know God’s will for our lives, we must be delivered from a worldly way of thinking. You may think that “wokeness” is something relatively new. Still, in reality, it is just another variation of how the world and Satan attempt to manipulate us into conformity with a system opposed to God.
The only way that we will be able to understand God’s will for our lives is to have our minds transformed by the Holy Spirit. To be transformed is to “undergo a complete change which, under the power of God, will find expression in character and conduct.” [1] In other words, God’s will is revealed to us as we allow him to remake us to be like Jesus.
Transformation is not easy. For obvious reasons, the world does not want us to be transformed to be like Jesus. It comes down to a battle of wills and choices. The world, the flesh, and the devil are all about the here and now, with no thought of eternity. In Hebrews, we learn that Moses; chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. Hebrews 11:25 (NLT)
The will of God for us does not neglect the present, but it also has eternity in view. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:17 (NIV)
Turn It Over
I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course. Jeremiah 10:23 (NLT)
I was young once, and I know what it is like to know what lies ahead of us in life. I could not have written these things fifty years ago, and perhaps this counsel will be brushed aside for those less experienced in life, but knowing God’s will for us is less important than knowing God.
If we can trust him with our lives, we can certainly trust him with our futures, even if the details are hidden from us. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
Once again, the words of the song come to mind: “Many things about tomorrow, I don’t seem to understand; But I know who holds tomorrow, And I know who holds my hand.” When we know who holds tomorrow, we always learn to be joyful, never stop praying, and be thankful for everything.
Steve Ekeroth
[1] W.E. Vine and F.F. Bruce, Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Old Tappan NJ: Revell, 1981), 148.