I am sure this is a question Christians have struggled with for as long as there have been Christians. How can I know God’s will for my life? What is God’s will in this particular situation? I was recently reading Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, that they would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will (Colossians 1:9). That is a striking request! Paul is not praying for better circumstances or greater comfort, but for clarity. He wants them to know God’s will. And yet, this knowledge is not hidden or reserved for a spiritual elite. It is not mysterious in the sense that it is inaccessible. To be filled with the knowledge of God’s will is to be filled with the knowledge of God’s Word, to have spiritual discernment to know how to rightly apply God’s Word in every circumstance of life.
Over the next few weeks, I want to encourage us to look carefully at what God’s will is for us. What is the will of God for my life and how do I find it?
Let me begin with an important disclaimer. I do believe that God leads His people. I do believe that the Spirit guides us in making decisions. However, I also believe that God has given us His Spirit, His wisdom, and His Word so that we can make decisions within the framework of His will. When it comes to many of the choices we face, such as taking one job or another, choosing this college over that one, there may be several options that are good, wise, and God-honoring. More than one option can fall within the bounds of God’s will.
Many of us instinctively look for signs, impressions, or some internal sense of certainty when we ask about God’s will. While God certainly leads His people, and while the Spirit does guide us, Scripture consistently points us first and foremost to what God has already revealed. If we neglect His Word, we should not expect clarity elsewhere.
This leads us to an important starting point. If we want to understand God’s will rightly, we must begin with what theologians often call God’s “will of decree.” This refers to His sovereign will. These are the things that God has ordained to happen. They are certain. They cannot fail. They will come to pass exactly as He intends. This is what Paul means in Ephesians 1:11, when he says that God works all things according to the counsel of His will.
We see this clearly in Isaiah 46:9-11, “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’”
In this passage, God is reminding His people, who were under Babylonian captivity, that He will sovereignly keep His promises to them. No matter their circumstances, and no matter how bleak things may seem, they can trust that God has spoken and that He will bring all His plans to pass.
Notice what we learn here. God alone is God. There is none like Him. All other so-called gods are merely man-made inventions. He alone possesses absolute power and authority. He declares the end from the beginning. He knows how the story will end because He has written it. Every event in history unfolds according to His sovereign decree.
This truth should bring us great comfort. It reminds us that God is never surprised by anything, even though we often are. He is never caught off guard or uncertain. Even the darkest moments of our lives, those that feel chaotic and out of control, are part of His wise and sovereign plan. Though we cannot always see the reasons behind what He is doing, we can trust that He knows and that He is accomplishing His purposes.
But how does this connect to our daily decisions? This is where many Christians go astray. Instead of resting in God’s sovereignty and walking in obedience to His Word, they begin searching for subjective impressions, feelings, or signs to determine what to do or what God’s will might be in any circumstance. This approach, while often sincere, is misguided for several reasons.
First, the Bible is sufficient for knowing, trusting, and obeying God. Scripture itself declares this in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, teaching that God’s Word equips us for every good work. The subjective approach to finding God’s will subtly undermines this sufficiency by expecting God to guide us through impressions, promptings, or internal feelings. Yet God has already given us what we need to live wisely. The purpose of Scripture is not to answer every specific question we might ask, but to reveal God so that we can know Him and honor Him.
Second, the Bible has authority over our impressions and feelings. It is not necessarily wrong to have instincts or inclinations, but those must always be tested against what God has clearly revealed. We do not need a special feeling of peace to confirm that we are doing God’s will.
What happens when someone’s feelings contradict Scripture? The answer is simple. Scripture wins. God’s Word clearly says, “This is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Any impression or feeling that contradicts God’s revealed will is not from Him. To follow God’s will is to follow what He has already commanded.
Third, the Bible emphasizes that we should trust the wisdom God has already revealed. Proverbs 3:5-6 does not teach us to wait for mystical guidance. It teaches us to trust the Lord rather than our own understanding. Trust is expressed by submitting to His Word and walking in obedience. The focus is not on discovering hidden or secret plans but on faithfully applying revealed truth.
Too often we become preoccupied with questions the Bible does not directly answer. Should I take this job or that one? Should I move here or there? Should I pursue this opportunity or another? Should I marry this person or that one? The Bible does not usually give specific answers to those questions. Instead, it directs our attention to something far more important: our holiness. God’s will is that we love Him, love others, and walk in obedience to His Word. That’s His will for our lives!
Scripture helps us here by distinguishing between two aspects of God’s will. There is His sovereign will, which He ordains and always accomplishes, and His revealed will, which He commands us to obey. Deuteronomy 29:29 puts it plainly: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us…that we may do all the words of this law.” We are not responsible for discovering the secret will of God. We are responsible for obeying the revealed will of God.
Fourth, the Bible emphasizes that we are responsible for making decisions. Commands like “Get wisdom” (Proverbs 4:5) assume that we are active participants in this process. The subjective approach often leads to passivity, as if we must wait for a special sign before acting. But Scripture calls us to think, pray, and choose wisely.
Even the Apostle Paul modeled this. He spoke of his decisions in ordinary terms. “I think it is necessary” (Philippians 2:25). “We thought it best” (1 Thessalonians 3:1). Paul didn’t claim constant direct revelation for every decision. He used wisdom shaped by God’s truth.
It’s also important to note that this subjective approach to finding God’s will is impossible to follow consistently. We make countless decisions every day, don’t we? What to wear, what to eat, where to sit, who to talk to. It is neither realistic nor biblical to seek a special sign for every choice. In reality, even those who claim to follow this approach only apply it selectively. But God’s sovereignty covers both the big decisions and the small ones. We can walk in freedom, trusting that He is directing our steps as we live faithfully (Proverbs 16:11).
So where does this leave us?
First of all, it calls us to rest. God has not hidden His will from us. He has revealed what we need to know in His Word. We are called to trust Him, obey Him, and walk in wisdom. As we do, we can have confidence that He is directing our steps.
Second, it calls us to know God’s revealed will in Scripture. If we are to know God’s will for our lives, then we must know what God has said. His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105).
Rest in our sovereign God. He ordains and governs all things. He has spoken, and it will come to pass. You do not need to chase signs or wait for impressions. Walk by faith. Trust His Word. And rest in His will of decree.
Next week we will move from examining God’s sovereign will of decree to examining more specific examples we see from Scripture of what God’s will is for each of our lives specifically. Things that aren’t mysterious or hidden but clearly revealed in His Word.
