Listen to episode 146 in Spanish:
Summary:
Every Christian wrestles with this question: What is God’s will for my life? Is it hidden in dreams, feelings, or signs – or is it revealed plainly in His Word? In this episode, Shanda breaks down what the Bible means when it talks about God’s will for your life, how we can discern it for our own lives, and where experiences like dreams, words from others, and gut feelings fit into the conversation. If you’ve ever wondered how to recognize God’s voice above the noise, this episode will equip you with clarity and confidence to walk in His will.
What we’ll talk about today:
- What do we mean when we say the will of God? Or God’s will for your life?
- How do we know the will of God for our lives?
- Does God reveal His will in other ways (ie, dreams, other people, feelings)?
The Will of God
I want to first start by talking about the character and nature of God because if we don’t understand who God is, how can we understand His will? And when I say understand who God is, I mean by what the word of God reveals.
We see in Genesis 1 and Romans 1 that God is the creator of all things. If He is the creator, He is the ruler, the rule maker, and the authority over all the earth.
God is therefore sovereign.
What does it mean that God is sovereign? I’m going to read you an excerpt from Got Questions because I love how they break things down. They say, “Whether or not God is actually sovereign is usually not a topic of debate; all mainstream Christian sects agree that God is preeminent in power and authority. God’s sovereignty is a natural consequence of His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. What’s subject to disagreement is to what extent God applies His sovereignty—specifically, how much control He exerts over the wills of men. When we speak of the sovereignty of God, we mean He rules the universe, but then the debate begins over when and where His control is direct and when it is indirect.
God is described in the Bible as all-powerful and all-knowing (Psalm 147:5), outside of time (Exodus 3:14; Psalm 90:2), and responsible for the creation of everything (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1).
These divine traits set the minimum boundary for God’s sovereign control in the universe, which is to say that nothing in the universe occurs without God’s permission. God has the power and knowledge to prevent anything He chooses to prevent, so anything that does happen must, at the very least, be “allowed” by God.
At the same time, the Bible describes God as offering humanity choices (Deuteronomy 30:15–19), holding them personally responsible for their sins (Exodus 20:5), and being unhappy with some of their actions (Numbers 25:3). The fact that sin exists at all proves that not all things that occur are the direct actions of God, who is holy. The reality of human volition (and human accountability) sets the maximum boundary for God’s sovereign control over the universe, which is to say there is a point at which God chooses to allow things that He does not directly cause.”
So I want to say here that what comforts me through all of this is that God is sovereign over all things so that if something tragic happens in our lives, ultimately God allowed it to happen so it is not beyond His control. Now, I think this is more in regard to evil and tragedy and why God allows certain things. I have an episode coming up on that, but we’re talking about God’s sovereignty in regard to His will for our lives.
This has to do with questions you might want guidance for in regard to:
Moving
Buying a house
Marriage/spouse
Having children/more children
A job
Homeschool, private school, or public education.
What do we do when we need guidance on these issues?
Does God have only one person for us? Does God care what I choose? How do I know? And where do I find the answers? Is God going to speak to me through His word on these issues? Will He give someone a word for me so that I know? Is He going to give me a dream? Does God speak through those means? That’s what I want to talk about today because when it comes to what God wants for us and His will for our lives, I think we can get really wrapped up into putting all of the responsibility on God to show us rather than own some of these things because of what He’s already said in His word.
Let me say that it’s important to know God’s will.
I think it is important to consult the Lord in every area of our lives because our lives belong to Him. To seek God’s will is to seek what He wants – His purpose and plan for our lives. Jesus said in Mark 3:35, “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” So Jesus reiterated the importance of knowing God’s will for our lives.
Remember, the first and greatest commandment from Matthew 22:37 is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and all your strength. The second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself. On those two hand all the law and the prophets. In other words, if you do not love God with all you are, you will not regard His will for your life. So asking what is God’s will for your life begins with your love for Him because your love for Him will move you to obey Him in what He wants for you.
So in essence, you already know God’s will for your life in many ways:
- God doesn’t want you to sin. He wants you to walk in the Spirit (Galatians)
- God doesn’t want you to marry an unbeliever because He gave you the mandate through Paul not to be unequally yoked in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.
- God wants you to obey His commands.
- He wants you to go and make disciples.
- He wants you to do all of your work with joy and as unto Him.
There are many more things I could bring up from the word but as you can see, many of these are foundational to the questions we already have about His will. For example, who should you marry begins with the question: is he a believer or not? Where should you live begins with the question: am I making disciples and will I look to make disciples when I move to a new location/neighborhood? The question of jobs and career should begin with: do I work joyfully as unto the Lord?
In other words, there are things about God’s will that are rooted in His word and knowing those help us as we navigate the more specific questions. Like, what type of job should I choose or should I marry this guy?
That brings us to the next question in this topic:
How do I know God’s will for my life?
I used to think that God had one person for me to marry and I used to think there was a specific call on my life that God chose me. I think a lot of that comes from the Old Testament when we see people like David, Moses, Esther, Daniel – people God chose for specific times and specific messages. And I’m not saying God can’t do that today, but there is a difference between the Old Testament and how they operated and how we operate in the last days. Remember, all dates after Christ’s ascension into Heaven are considered to be last days.
In the OT, the Holy Spirit had not been given and people did not have the Bible.
The people had the voice of the prophets and oral tradition — where God’s word was read aloud to them by the leaders of the people. They didn’t have Bibles and they didn’t have the privilege of being taught by the Spirit as we do today. However, God still expressed His will for His people in things like the Ten Commandments and the books of the Law (The Pentateuch).
Back in these days, people didn’t ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Up until just a century or so ago, kids grew and took over the family business. Going to college and getting an eduction was rare. So there wasn’t much of a struggle with purpose and identity as there is today.
For that reason, we as Christians, have to be careful not to get caught up in the historical narratives of the OT and think we are going to have a specific calling like Elijah the prophet and if we miss it because we don’t know God’s will then we’re going to thwart God’s will over all the earth. God is not dependent upon us to fulfill His purpose and plan. However, God uses us and He does lead us and I think that’s what we have to focus on. And I’ll get to that. For now, I want to read something I posted to social media last week.
I remember struggling with the thought of loved ones dying when I was younger. It surprised me, yet somehow comforted me, to learn that even David had a deathbed. So did Elisha, the prophet with a double portion of Elijah’s anointing.
This morning, as I drove my son to school, I thought about gifted thinkers and writers – men like C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton. We are blessed to have their works today, but the truth is, they too are gone. The greatest minds and most talented writers pass on like everyone else.
And then it hit me: God doesn’t need them. He does’t need any of us. We are here for a time, and then we’re not. Life comes to an end, but His purpose continues. The blessing is that, for a little while, He lets us be the vessel He uses to accomplish His will. But it’s never because He needs us. He is God. He needs no one and nothing.
Solomon said data is the great equalizer, and that’s true. But it isn’t tragic. The reward is food in how you live for hIm in the days you’ve been given. That’s where purpose is found. And when life is over, the greatest reward is not that we lived long, but that we lived for Him.
I know I mentioned this in regard to death here, but the main point is that God doesn’t need any of us. He chooses to use us for His greater purpose. And what is that? I think it’s found in the most popular verse in the Bible which is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
God wants us to be with Him.
That is why He sent His son to die for our sins. Jesus reconciled us to be with the Father and restore us back to a right relationship with Him as it was in the garden of Eden. The other things: marriage, career, where you live, is rooted in the main focus. That doesn’t mean they’re not important, but it does mean your life and God’s will for your life is not separate from His will that none perish but have everlasting life. I think we have to remember that as Christians.
The main way we know God’s will is by His word. I’ve already mentioned some of the ways the word reveals the will of God. I don’t care what it is, if it doesn’t align to scripture then it’s not God’s will for your life. What’s an example of this?
Let me go over some obvious ones. In other words, these are questions you never have to ask about God’s will for your life because they are not in line with His word:
1.Should I date this guy?
He doesn’t go to church but he said he’ll go with me.
Do you think God is going to answer that? He already did in 2 Corinthians 6:14. He said don’t be unequally yoked with a non-believer. You don’t have to ask what God’s will for your life is when He’s already spoken about it.
2. Should I buy this car?
It’s out of my price range but I can make it work if I pick up a few extra hours per week at work. Just read Proverbs and let me know what you think when it says a borrow is slave to the lender. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t borrow any money but it does talk an awful lot about hard work, laziness, and finances.
3. If I love someone and I’m going to marry them, why does God care if I sleep with them?
Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Then read it again. And then one more time for good measure. God is clear about this in His word. If it falls into a category of sin, it’s not God’s will for your life.
4. I don’t know if God wants me to take this job.
There are some things they want me to do that go against my beliefs. If your job requires you condone sin, or to sin, it’s not God’s will for your life.
There are legitimate circumstances in our lives where we need God to lead us. But there are also a substantial amount of circumstances where Christians ask for God’s will when they already know it goes against His word. Look to His word and you will likely get all the direction you need for God’s will for your life.
Now, what about when it comes to something that isn’t so obvious?
Does God reveal His will in other ways (ie, dreams, other people, feelings)?
I think this is a situation where you might have two great college acceptance letters before you and you’re not sure which one to choose. Or maybe you’re like me and are trying to decide if it’s best for your family to make a big move across the country. Something like that.
How do you know if God is leading you?
First, big decisions like these should never be made in haste. I think these are things you take some time in prayer over. And I don’t know that big decisions are truly that spontaneous. They might be, but I think it’s pretty rare.
Yes, I believe God can and does speak in ways that are outside of His word – like dreams or convictions. But I don’t think apart from His word. What do I mean by that? If you have a dream that God is speaking to you to move, let’s say, then nothing is going to be in contradiction to His word. He won’t ask you to do anything that will put you in financial struggles or bankrupt you. God won’t ask you to put your family in danger – your priority is to protect your family. He won’t ask you to compromise on truth.
If I thought God was giving me a dream, which God has, but they are few and far between – I would sit on that and pray about it.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”
What does that mean? Don’t rely on dreams and a word from the Lord from someone to lead you. That is not the main mode of communication God uses to speak to us. His main mode of communication is to speak to us by through His word, by His spirit.
I would rather the Lord speak to me through His word because I can take it to the bank. I can trust it. Even if I have a dream that I believe is from the Lord, I don’t always trust it because I’m not sure it’s really from God. So my point here is that you should not go looking for God’s leading outside of His word and if you think God is speaking to you outside of His word, make sure you measure the message up to His word.
Close:
One of the things I want to caution you on is not to become inactive by worrying about whether or not you’re doing God’s will or in God’s will. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us He will direct our paths but that implies that you are taking steps forward. If you don’t move, how can God direct you? Take steps of faith in the direction that looks to be true, and then God will be faithful to lead you.
I was talking to one of my boys about his job the other day and he wants to start his own HVAC business but he also likes the place he works at. He’s my 20 year old who’s about to get married. He’s been witnessing to the guys there and telling them about the Lord. He bought one of his supervisors a Bible the other day and gave it to him for his birthday. My son wrote verses in it and highlighted some things in the Bible. He gave him a journal and wrote a note in it about the importance of serving Jesus. And he told me he thinks he needs to be there for now. He feels like God is using them for these guys and he really cares about their souls. I told him that God will give him a peace when it’s time to leave and told him to pray about it and when the time is right, the Lord will let him know.
I know that because that is how I’ve known when to move on from different positions in ministry.
When I came to the point that I didn’t feel like I was burdened to be there anymore and I felt like God was drawing my heart to another ministry or people, I felt it was time to move. But all along the way, you pray about when that happens because nothing lasts forever. One day, we will all be gone and the only thing we will leave on this earth is what has been done in the Lord.
So pray.
See the Lord’s will for your life, but know that it is going to be found in His word. He will lead you because He cares about you. God. cares how you live. The Lord is faithful and He is with you.
I hope that encouraged you. If you have any questions for me you can email me at hello@shandafulbright.com. If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a five star rating and review. And I’ll catch you on the next one!
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