How do we know what God wants us to do in our lives when we pray for his answer in our specific needs? To do God's Will is what we must want to do. To know God's Will is sometimes a blessing and not just interpreting his teachings. I would appreciate any knowledge of his Word on this subject. Sincere thoughts might be helpful too.

-- Dolores (care@zoomnet.net), August 22, 1999

Answers

That is a tough question but, I'll give it a try. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than I can add to it.

First of all, God's will will be in agreement with God's Word (the Bible). So if you think God is leading you to do something that is against His Word in some way, it is probably either your own desires speaking or the enemy trying to deceive you and lead you out of God's will.

Second of all, If I am unsure of something, I usually ask God to please comfirm what His will is so that it is clear and I can follow it. He will confirm it in some way that you will recognize and it will be in more than one way. For instance; you may have more than one person whom you trust to be spiritaully mature (so that they will not just tell you what you want to hear) give you the same advice, and/or you may hear your Pastor give a message on it in a way that really speaks to you situation.

Third of all and very importantly, I think that it is vitally important to have the counsel of a spiritual director. A spiritual director should be someone who is clearly very mature in their faith, someone who is loving and who you respect, and somone you hold yourself accountable to. I have a priest as my Spiritual director and he has helped me through many difficult and confusing situations and fosters my spiritual growth.

The last thing is that I think God speaks to our hearts and that deep inside doing His will gives us a certain "Peace" even if it's painful and not what we would like to do ourselves. There is no genuinne Peace outside of His will.

I hope this helps a little.

-- J Phillips (phillips@velocity.net), August 23, 1999.

Dolores,

You're in a noble pursuit! Know that God is well-pleased when His children seek to know and do His will. Know that you're not alone. When one ventures along this path, God draws very near and offers His assistance and guidance freely. It is truly the Great Adventure.

I wish I had time for a more detailed and thoughtful response, but I'm pressed for time this evening. Perhaps in a few days, I'll get a chance to post a follow-up message for you, if you would like. In the meantime, allow me to offer some food for thought.

Consider Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight [also reads, and he will direct your path]"

Trusting God is key and acknowledging that you desire to know His will and are willing to follow His path. These are important prerequisites for knowing God's will for you.

Also consider Romans 12:1-2, "Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will." Here's a few condition statements that we need to fulfill BEFORE God will even reveal His will to us. We must offer ourselves into His service to allow God to do with us anything that He desires (Offer your bodies as living sacrifices). Before He tells us what His plans for us are, we must be willing to accept them. God doesn't play "Let's make a deal" and begin revealing choices behind curtain number 1. We must be willing to say 'yes' even before knowing what we are agreeing to -- that's where the trust comes in. If you truly trust God, then this is not a problem. If you don't, then you need to get to know Him better so that you can trust Him.

Also, it says we must be "holy and pleasing" and we must "not conform to the pattern of this world". So we must be dead to the fleshly desires within our sinful nature AND dead to the ways of the world BEFORE you'll know God's will is for you.

And finally, "be transformed by the renewing of your mind". So God wants you to know His ways and to know His Word so that your mind can be renewed and transformed from being earthly minded to heavenly minded. How can we know and accept His will unless we start thinking from heaven's perspective instead of our own?

I find it interesting that God focuses on getting us right with Him in every way before telling us His plans for our future. It speaks powerfully of His priority; NUMBER ONE -- God wants us in right relationship with Him. The Word says if you will do these things, He will reveal His "good, pleasing and perfect will."

Sorry to cut this short. If you are interested in more, please let me know either here or through private email. I'd be more than happy to help out. Warning, this pursuit of yours will likely alter your entire life :-) in a really fantastic and completely unexpected way. God is truly creative, loving and wonderfully fulfilling. There are great risks involved by giving everything up in living sacrifice to Him AND even greater reward!! He will change your life in ways you could never imagine, and you will NEVER regret it.

Bon voyage and God speed!!

-- David Bowerman (dbowerman@blazenet.net), August 23, 1999.

It sure is embarassing when you mess up html code like this. It's even worse when you don't notice it unil the next day :-) Better clean it up a little. Sorry.

-- David Bowerman (dbowerman@blazenet.net), August 24, 1999.

Far from me to even comment on a masterpiece of a response given by David (no irony intented!). But I sometimes feel difficult to find God4s true will in very practical, pragmatical or even prosaic day-to- day matters. One trick I have used often is to choose the path less appealing to me. I think think way i reduce the probability of confusing MY will with HIS. I don4t know if this is heretic or a good practice, but it have turned out fine many times.

-- Atila (me@somewhere.com), September 05, 1999.

Delores - Perhaps my being a " crazy " Franciscan allows me to say the following: your heart is true and loved filled which I feel is all God wants of any child.

On a lighter note: What Makes God Laugh?? - When we try to figure out what He is doing.

-- jean bouchardRC (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), September 05, 1999.

Deloras,

I feel many of the above answers are very good! I as well would like to add to the discussion. I think the pursuit of God's will is one that lasts a lifetime! Even when we have determined some foundational truth in our own life in regards to following God's will, living it out day to day is what makes life an adventure!

Something I have said many times concerning God's will is that we should put to memory those verses that specifically mention the will of God. For instance:

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-22 "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil."

I know there are other verses besides these, but if we were to put into action these few I've quoted here it would take a lifetime! We would have less time to wonder what God's will was and be focused on living what His will is.

I have also noticed people spending a lot of time searching for God's will in specific circumstances and were unable to find it, I believe if we were living what we already knew His will to be, we would be less inclined to have to go "searching" for it in desperate situations, we would already have the "mind of Christ" (1Cor.2:16) and act accordingly.

Sincerely,

-- Barry Hanson (obci2000@yahoo.com), October 11, 1999.

Dolores. You must remember that the Holy Spirit is Counselor, Fire, Light, etc. Ask Him in your prayers to see the light and He will not fail you.

Enrique

-- ENRIQUE ORTIZ (eaortiz@yahoo.com), October 12, 1999.

The last two posts are lovely and very fine indeed. I was told once by my Spritual Director to not look for Christ as He will find you. +Peace+

-- jean bouchard (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), October 12, 1999.