Hmm, a tricky subject, and yet one that I think every Christian would love to know more about. I expect that there has never been a youth group leader, Christian parent, or elder in a church, who has not been asked at some point by, probably a young person, what is God’s will in this situation.

 

It’s a really difficult questions to get answered, because we are not in any position to say what God’s will is. Only God knows that! 

 

However, God can show us His will for our lives or decisions. Again another difficult grey area!

 

Ok, so lets get things straight. It would be lovely if, when we are struggling with a decision, for there to be a great flash and suddenly and hand appears and begins to write in great detail exactly how we should approach a certain situation. Unfortunately, this has only happened once, and the end of the man in question did not end well at all! (see Daniel 5)

 

So how do we find out what God’s will is?

 

Well it all comes down to relationships. The more we enter into the things of God, we will learn more about what He would want us to do. The more we learn about God, the more we learn ourselves! By building a relationship with God, by praying and reading His Word, you are allowing bridges to be built between your life and God’s will. 

 

When we want to know God’s will, it is usually to do with some practical pressure on our lives down here, and when things come up, we have a tendency to focus entirely on whatever it is that is bothering us when we pray, (of course we would!) and maybe forget to worship or praise God in our prayers. We tend to separate our practical or ‘real’ lives from our spiritual lives. But the more you realise that your spiritual life, is your real life the more you will find God is able to show you path he wants you to go down. The more time you spend in God’s presence, just enjoying being with him-not praying for a particular matter or issue, the more discerning you become of what God would have you to do. Its like a happy consequence, rather than a forced issue. 

 

Of course you must also read the Bible. God is still in the business of communicating with the Church and the individuals that make up the Church. God still speaks through His word. So knowing your Bible can certainly help in situations when you are away from home. God cannot bring a Bible verse to mind, if you have never learnt it! And at home in front of the open pages of Scripture, God is able to show you something in the words that perhaps you had not noticed before.

 

Of course you must be wary not read too much into a situation! When we are looking for an answer, the human mind tends to manipulate and skew anything into a sign from God.

 

The car won’t start, it must be right that I buy that new car.

It’s snowing, I now know I must go buy that SuperDry coat to keep me warm!

 

Its also important to not try to get the pages of Scripture to say what you want the to say. Just because you’ve turned to Luke 12, and verse 18 has particularly caught your eye, does not mean that you should go and buy a larger house. Prayerfully read the Scripture and let God apply His words to your life, rather than you apply God’s word to His will.

 

 

Decisions must come from an intense prayer session, and after a good read of the Bible. 

 

Imagine a chalk board. The chalk board is your life. Usually when we pray, what we are doing, is asking God what we should write on our chalk board. How about instead, wiping the slate clean, presenting the slate to God and praying that God will write on it?

 

You are the empty slate, let God use the chalk!

 

 

 

It’s really difficult for other people to give advice on what God’s will is in any given situation, it is really down to the person involved and God. Of course experience and human wisdom play a part, but the most important thing, is that you are right with God and you have a healthy prayer life.

 

After all, the thing is, that everything that happens in your life is part of the plan. God’s plan for your life does not have any forks or junctions. If you are a Christian, then God’s plan for your life, started in eternity and finishes in eternity and goes via the cross. A thick red line all the way through. 

 

So maybe you think that you’ve been down many dead ends and needed to make several U-turns. And ok, maybe from your point of view you have had to! But if you look at God’s view you have never deviated from His plan. How can you? He know everything you have done, are doing and will do. Before time began!

 

God never gives up on a Christian. God will never give up on you. You are a work in progress, but God knows the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning. Trust in Him, pray to Him, relax into His love and care, enjoy being a Christian, most of all, trust in God. He will see you through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your view of your life

 

 

 

 

God's view of your life

 

All things work together for good to those who love God