Knowing “the will of
God for my life” was talked about during my growing up years. It seemed like
somehow I was supposed to know God’s will but it was unknown to me. I couldn’t
figure it out!
In the last few years I
have begun reading God’s Word for myself. From my birth others have poured God’s
Word into my life but I had not really sought it for myself. While I read and pray God continues to open my
eyes to things I have wondered about my entire life. I have had a lot of Bible
information in my head but not a lot of understanding in my heart. I want to really know…What is the will of God?
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking
that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom
and understanding,
so as to walk in a manner worthy of
the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God.
May you be strengthened with all
power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with
joy,
giving thanks to the Father, who has
qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the
kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins.” Colossians1:9-14
God’s Word confirms the
yearning of my heart. Here in this passage Paul and others are praying for the
“saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae.” If God has included this prayer in His Word
as something we can pray for others, I can certainly pray it for myself. God
wants me to ask Him to show me His will. “Fill
me with the knowledge of Your will!”
The other verses in the
Colossians 1:9-14 passage show that not only does God want me to know His will,
He wants me to prayerfully seek to be and to do more with my life through that
knowledge. Knowing His will requires action. Knowing His will then I will
prayerfully seek to…
- Walk in a manner worthy of Him - Bear fruit in every good work
- Increase in the knowledge of Him
- Be strengthened by His might
- Have endurance and patience with joy
- Give thanks to Him, my Father
- Recognize the work He has done in qualifying me to share in
the inheritance of the saints in light
- Celebrate and walk in my position of deliverance from the
domain of darkness and transference into the kingdom of His
beloved Son
- Thank His Son who has made my redemption and forgiveness
of sins possible
I can know His will for
my life by spending time in His Word. I am learning that God is not going to
ask me to do something in His Word that is not His will for my life. He also
uses many other ways to show me His will.
- Praying
- Circumstances
- People
- Anything...
Another major step for
me in learning about God’s will is…that there are no coincidences! There
is no “luck” or “fate.” God can and will use anything and everything to show me
what He wants me to do. Not only this, I have hope because He promises He will
use it for good.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
A big part of my struggle with trying to figure out
God’s will was that I was trying to do this on my own. That is not my job. God
has given me the Holy Spirit to lead and guide and reveal His will for me. When
it is through His prompting, wisdom, and direction He gets the glory.
Knowing God’s will is not me trying to solve the
puzzle of life. When I pray, “Fill me
with the knowledge of Your will…” I am putting myself under God’s authority
and plan for my life. He is in control and I need to choose to put myself under
that control.
To know God’s
will I need to look, seek, and anticipate what He will do in and through my
life. To know God’s will I need to connect with Him by reading and obeying His
Word, praying to Him, and surrendering my will to His in all that He allows in
my life. He is teaching me that I can do all this through His strength! I can
trust what He has for me. His will is the best!
“For I know
the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
Jeremiah 29:11
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for
who You are, what You have done for us, and who we are in You. Fill us with the
knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that we
will walk in a manner worthy of You, fully pleasing to You, bearing fruit in
every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You. Strengthen us with all power, according
to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to You, Father, who has
qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. You have delivered us from the domain of
darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of Your beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins. Thank you that You work all things
together for good for those
who love You, who are called according to Your purpose. Thank You that You know the
plans You have for us, plans for good and not for evil, to give us a future and
a hope. Make our way clear as we seek to follow Your will. Help us to be
sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading as we read Your Word, pray, and respond
to all of the circumstances and people that You allow in our lives. Help us to
obey You. Thank you that we can do all things through Him who gives us
strength. Use our lives to bring honor and glory to You!
In Jesus Name,
Amen!
~
Over the
last five years, my husband and I have prayed for God to show us His will for
our lives. We have begun an amazing adventure! God has given us new goals for
our family, new purpose, and direction for our lives.
The
pathways He has taken us on have not always been what or when we would have
chosen but it has all been good. We have a renewed confidence for life and
anticipation of the good things God will continue to bring into our lives.
We truly
believe God has shown us His will. Each day we will continue to seek what He
would have us do. Even when we make mistakes along the way, we know He will use
it all for good!
~
More from God’s Word…
“Rejoice always;
pray without ceasing; in everything
give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1
Thessalonians 5:16-18
“I can do all things through Him
who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
“For this reason I bow my knees
before the Father, from whom every family
in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would
grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power
through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may
dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and
grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all
the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you
may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do far more
abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works
within us, to Him be the
glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.
Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21
