On God's Will

Question: How can I tell what God wants me to do? I never make any big decision without praying about it first, but most of the time I feel like God doesn’t give me a clear answer. I don’t want to date just anyone, but I don’t know how to tell if the guy I like is the one God wants for me. That scenario also applies to colleges and jobs. Like, currently, I’m trying to get my first job, but I’m feeling pretty nervous about it and I don’t know if it’s something He wants me to do. How can I tell?

Answer: Thanks so much for the question. What you’re talking about in this question has to do with discernment. In other words, there is no crystal clear Bible verse that tells you specifically which college to go to or which guy to date, so how do I pick the one God wants for me in the midst of so many choices? Obviously, you’re starting this whole process out beautifully by praying about everything, (so hats off to you on that score) but the question remains: What next?


Not many people talk about this, but I really believe that a huge key to growing in discernment is learning to be submissive. What I mean is this: Decide right now that you want to completely give your heart, your will and your future to the Lord. Decide right now that you are submitting your life to His will. You want Him to have the freedom to call the shots because you trust His heart and you know that His plans are awesome and that they are for your best.


Now, I know this seems obvious, but trust me, it’s not. And it’s not the way most Christians make decisions. You see, the Bible may not tell you the first middle and last name of the guy God wants you to date, but it is crystal clear about the fact that it is God’s will for you to remain sexually pure. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5) Translation: Some folks spend all their time and energy trying to find the ‘right’ guy, but then they put absolutely no thought or prayer into doing what it takes to remain sexually pure with that guy. I mean Biblically speaking, if you take the purity thing as seriously as most folks take the selection process, you could date a bunch of folks, find out a lot about yourself and who is right for you without suffering the kind of emotional shipwreck that people do when they give themselves sexually to the so-called ‘greatest guy ever’ that just broke their heart.


Again, the Bible may not tell you exactly which job to apply for, but it says explicitly that it is God’s will for you to remain joyful, pray all the time and continuously give thanks in every situation. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) If you made it your goal to pursue joy, prayer and a grateful heart and then just took a job, (any ole job) you might find God opening and closing doors that lead you right to where He wants you be - as opposed to a person who gets their dream job, but then complains about it every day and as a result, has no joy and doesn’t hear God at all.


You see, discernment is less about the details, and more about the attitude. If you submit your heart to the will of God and decide right now that in all of your decisions, you want to do things His way, then He may just open up the doors for you without you having to decide.

Source: Lee Younger

I like this a lot. It's not about how much we know or are sure of, but how much our attitudes are willing to obey Him.

In all things, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.