Seek His Will

Ps Craig Maher - INChurch Melbourne

What do you do when you’re presented with more than one choice? It is important to know God’s will. Jesus said that His true relatives are those who know and do the Father’s will: “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:35 ESV). At its most basic, the will of God is to repent of our sin and trust in Jesus Christ. If we have not taken that first step, then we have not yet accepted God’s will.

Once we receive Jesus Christ by faith, we are made God’s children (John 1:12), and He desires to lead us in His way (Psalm 143:10). God is not trying to hide His will from us; He wants to reveal it! In fact, He has already given us many, many directions in His Word. For example, we are to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV). We are to do good works (1 Peter 2:15 NIV). And “it is God’s will that you should be sanctified (holy): that you should avoid sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3 NKJV).

God’s will is both knowable and provable. Romans 12:2 (NIV) says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be 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.” This passage gives us an important sequence: the child of God refuses to be conformed to the world and instead allows themself to be transformed by the Spirit. As their mind is renewed according to the things of God, then they can know God’s perfect will.

Often, we want God to give us specifics—where to work, where to live, whom to marry, what car to buy, etc. God allows us to make choices, and, if we are yielded to Him, He has ways of preventing wrong choices (see Acts 16:6–7).

The better we get to know a person, the more acquainted we become with his or her desires. For example, a child may look across a busy street at the ball that bounced away, but he doesn’t run after it, because he knows “My Dad wouldn’t want me to do that.” He doesn’t have to ask his father for advice on every particular situation; he knows what his father would say because he knows his father. The same is true in our relationship with God. As we seek the will of the Lord - obeying His Word and relying on His Spirit - we find that we are given the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). We know Him, and that helps us to know His will. We find God’s guidance readily available.

We are called to seek the Lord’s will and truly desire His presence, as we do that God will place His desires in our hearts. The key is wanting God’s will, not our own. “Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 NIV)

Reflect

Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Saviour? This is the first step in seeking His will. What does it mean to you to have the mind of Christ? How can you seek His will more?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I desire to know your will more and more. Teach me Your word and help me to discern what your Holy Spirit is saying to me. I want Your will and not my own. I choose to surrender to Your Will and Your way for my life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.