God’s Will
A devotional thought from Jared Wilson for “God Is Not Mute”
“What is God’s will for my life?” This seems to be the single-most angst-inducing quandary in the average Christian’s daily walk with Jesus. This confusion manifests itself in decisions on where to go to college or what career path to pursue, in questions over callings to ministry or opportunities for relocation. The bottom line appears to be that God has a special—sometimes secret—will for us that we need to listen very closely for or else we will miss it.
Without denying that sometimes God does indeed call people to specific places of opportunity or mission, we ought to reject the idea that God is holding out on us when it comes to His will for our lives. Such anxiety leaps over what is clearly revealed in His written Word, which is clear and sufficient.
Check out 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” And there you have it. The Bible, in fact, does tell you God’s will for your life.
Author Michael Kelley has some additional words of wisdom: “Thing is, the Bible isn’t an instruction manual for life, and because it’s not, we see that God is not absent from those small details. The Bible is the means by which we might know God in Christ, not primarily the means by which we might figure out the details of our own lives. God is the main character of the Bible, not me. And not you.” [Michael Kelley, “Why Won’t God Just Tell Me What To Do?” Forward Progress [online], 9 May 2011 [cited 7 September 2012]. Available from the Internet: michaelkelleyministries.com.]
Pause and Reflect
• What does the phrase “in Christ Jesus” tell us about God’s will for our lives?
• If God’s will for our lives is already revealed in the Bible, what implications does this have for daily decision-making?
• How do the three commands in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 apply with respect to our decisions with unknown outcomes?
That verse in Thessalonians has brought much encouragement to us, and to those who serve alongside us. We agree – sometimes finding God’s will seems like it’s a large ambitious “aha” we’re about to discover. But many times his will for us is found in the small, simple everyday things. Thanks for this post and encouragement.
Luke 24: 25-27 along with Thess. 5 is what we will mainly be using in our small groups tonight. Listen to the Holy spirit, the voice of God giving us direction for our life and avoid the clutter all around us that drowns out that small voice.