Discovering God’s Will and Plan for my Life PART TWO
IT’S WORTH CONSIDERING
In Part One of this series, we saw the necessity to focus on the “who” instead of “what,” “where” or “why.” We were encouraged to see Christ as our life instead of just a component of it. We saw that if we would let Him, He would lead us to the future He has for us. In Part Two, we’ll take a major step toward understanding just what that future might be.

Let’s begin by taking a closer look at the major components of God’s will:
1.    God’s providential will
2.    God’s moral will
3.    God’s will for us personally

The first represents what God has already determined that He is going to do. Nothing can prevent it from happening. The beautiful thing about this is that God has clearly spelled out what He’s up to. Every account reflects what is really important to Him. Unfortunately, when we’re reading our Bibles, we don’t automatically gravitate to expressions of God’s providential will. When we don’t see the immediate application to our lives, we keep reading until we come to something we can really use. Here are some examples of God’s providential (determined) will:
1.    Every unconditional covenant He ever made. (He will keep His promises, no matter what. God’s covenants with Noah, Abraham, and David are part of God’s providential will.)
2.    Biblical prophecy. If God’s Word says something will happen, it will happen, according to His providential will.)

The second component, God’s moral will, consists of the “thou shalts” and the “thou shalt nots.” He’s made these pretty clear, too. If we really want to know His will in this area, a little digging will provide an answer. The third is the one we’re most interested in-God’s will for us personally. Most of our questions fall in this area-What job should I pursue? What college should I attend? What church should I attend?

AS I SEE IT
Our tendency is to spend all our time dealing with component #3. We keep asking and asking, but God seems silent. I say “seems” because He has, in fact, already revealed everything we need to know to make the right decision. Our problem lies in our refusal to look to components 1 and 2. This is where our answer is usually to be found. No, it’s not going to be spelled out in black and white, but if we had a better understanding of God’s providential and moral will, our decision regarding our personal situation would become easier. This forces us to dig a little deeper into the spiritual ramifications of our decision. If we make our decisions based on God’s spiritual desires and moral limitations, God will take care of the things that most concern us but are really out of our control anyway.

So, how does this work? Suppose your decision involves a new job and possible relocation. Now consider what you know about God’s providential will. As I see it, God’s heart is especially devoted to the Church and Israel. He is going to be involved in using His children to make disciples and in growing His Church to maturity. Additionally, He is dedicated to the restoration of the land and people of Israel. I see these as the two great themes of the Bible. Perhaps something else rises to the top in your mind. Now, look for a connection between your decision and God’s providential will. Does your personal desire support or conflict with this in any way?

Next, see if there is anything in your decision that conflicts in any way with God’s moral will. Will a certain job limit your freedom to worship? Will you be forced to compromise a godly principle? Once again, focus on what’s important to God. Then you’ll be ready to make that decision. This will be a difficult exercise. Work through it with a friend or family member. If you do, God will make Matthew 6:33 come alive for you.

The bottom line: The clearer we are on 1 & 2, the easier it will be to discern God’s will for our personal lives.

RELATED ARTICLES

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
Why do we press harder on the buttons of a remote control when we know the batteries are dead?