How to Know God's Will for Your LifeSample

To be like Jesus

When each of our three children was growing up and long before they reached marriageable age, my wife Vanessa and I often talked with them about their future partners. In fact, Vanessa would say things like, ‘Do you know that even when you were in the womb, I prayed for the person you would marry?’ and, ‘We don’t really mind who you marry as long as they love Jesus, are filled with the Holy Spirit, live holy lives and look after you well.’

There were other things, too, of course, like similar interests, talents, biblical worldview and goals, but that was the essence of it. And apart from those guidelines, it was up to them to choose someone they loved and trusted. They could marry a person of any nationality, skin colour, language, occupation and so on. That was their choice. And it would also be what we wanted.

To put all that in ‘spiritual’ language, there were certain conditions that were essential for them to observe to honour our ‘will’ for them. If they were to please us, these were non-negotiable. As for the rest, they were free to make their own choices.

One of the original expressions used in the New Testament for God’s purpose for us is prohorizo. Obviously, the English word ‘horizon’ is derived from this. The prefix pro means ‘before’. So the term can be taken to mean ‘to set boundaries (horizons) beforehand’. This is why Paul says that God predestined us according to the purpose of his will to be conformed to the image of his Son (Romans 8:29-30).

The idea is that God sets limits beyond which he forbids us to go, but within which we are free to do what we like.

So there are two aspects to doing God’s will. First, there is his overall purpose for us that is found in Christ. To put our trust in Christ is to act according to God’s will. Our lives are safely hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3) All God’s blessings are found in him (Ephesians 1:3) and God’s purpose for us is that we be conformed to his image. In other words, to be and to act like Jesus. And being in Christ clearly means being in the will of God.

The second aspect is day-by-day decision-making. God has made us with hearts to believe and minds to think. He clearly wants us to use both. The Bible tells us over and again to think wisely and well (Psalm 119:97; Mark 12:30; Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 4:8). We do everything as if for the Lord (Colossians 3:23). Because we are found in Christ, our hearts will yearn to do what is good and right and to trust the Lord to direct us specifically when he chooses to do so.

Let’s put these two concepts together.

The Christian life is often called a pilgrimage. We follow a route called Zion Highway (Psalm 84:5-7). Clearly, when we are on that Highway, we are travelling in the will of God, even if we don’t understand it (Isaiah 35:8b). It is up to us how fast we go or how often we stop. We may stumble (James 3:2) and even fall, but we are still on the road. And if we do fall, God will enable us to get going again (Psalm 37:24).

Or like being a flight attendant on flight ROM-829. We might insult a passenger or spill their coffee, and we certainly need to put those things right, but we don’t get thrown off the plane. We are still aboard ROM-829.

Understanding this can take a great deal of pressure out of life.

What Next?

·Go over the verses you have memorised so far. Recite them again from memory.

·Memorise Romans 8:29a (plus the reference). Test yourself during the day.

·What do you think it means in practice to be conformed to the image of Christ?