He is right. Even though entire books have been written on how to know the will of God, Christians are often puzzled in trying to find out what God wants from us. Some verses in the Bible clearly say, “This is the will of God. . . . ” then go on to describe some aspect of what He desires, yet many of these are general, not specific. We have questions like: Where do we live? What school should I go to? Which job offer do I accept?
The biggest problem I have with seeking the will of God is my own I-wants and the opinions of others so easily interfere. I cannot hear God because these other voices drown Him out. Yet in all of that, one verse gives me a great deal of instruction. For a long time I’ve read it in a general way, but this morning I see how to use it specifically.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)If I cannot figure out the will of God for specific questions or issues, perhaps it is because I am thinking like the world thinks. That is, I measure the pros and cons by what will make me the most comfortable, give me the most control, use my skills to best advantage, and reward me with the best return. By doing this mental hoop-jumping, my focus makes the choices all about me.
The will of God is not all about me. It is about overcoming sin and loving others. Romans 12 begins by telling me to present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is my spiritual worship. After the next verse on mind renewal and its importance in knowing God’s will, it says to watch my attitude toward myself (no pride) and to use the gifts God has given me. Then it says . . .
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:9–18)Most of these verses are about dealing with sin, loving others and serving the Lord God with a godly attitude. Clearly God’s will is general in the sense that He wants me to do everything in a Christlike way. That I understand. But the specifics of the to-do list can be confusing. What order? What is least important? Should some things be scratched off? Others added?
As I read Romans 12:2, the Holy Spirit poked me with this thought: What is on your list because of a worldly attitude, because of your need for a renewed mind? Are you trying to make choices because you are thinking like those who do not know me?
This gets my attention. For example, I have taken on ministry projects because the role became vacant and they were not being very well done. I thought I could do the job in a more effective way. My prideful attitude resulted in many hard lessons about serving others before I finally realized that my motivation was not God’s will.
God says His choices are not based on our wisdom and skills. Instead, He looks for those who will obey Him. Knowing His will is not about measuring myself according to what I can do, or what I think I can do, or even what others think I can do. It is about doing what He asks.
This is something like walking a dark path with a flashlight. The only clearly defined steps are the ones right in front of me. As I move into that well-lit part of the path, the flashlight moves to the next step and the next. If I stop and refuse to go farther, then I cannot see farther.
When author and missionary Elizabeth Elliot was asked how she managed her time. She said, “I do the next thing. I almost always know what that is.”
She is right. While the next thing could be difficult, or seem not very important, or even be an interruption or unexpected issue, I always know what needs to be done. My problem is never that, but with wanting to see farther than the flashlight shines. I want to make a life-plan, or at least a week-plan or sometimes just a plan for the day. So I make out my list, but at the same time am so very aware that I do not control what happens next.
The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)The world’s way is being able to see what is ahead and prepare for it. The Lord’s will is that I walk by faith, not by sight, trusting Him for the next step. The world’s way is order and confidence, making plans with goals and clearly outlined procedures to reach those goals. While God is not the author of confusion, His way is not about an orderly and prioritized to-do list, but to keep my eyes on Jesus and my ears tuned to His voice. I’m to do what He says, regardless whether or not it fits my desires, or any structure or visible procedure.
From this reading today, I’m aware that I need to be cautious about making plans and decisions according to the world’s methods. Christian living is not about “what’s in it for me” or even about what makes sense to me. It is about glorifying God and obeying His commands. Examining my motives is often painful, but it is also a big part of taking that next step that will bring further light to my path.
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Lord, right now I know what You want me to do next. You invite me to prayer. After that, I know that I must do three things from my list that have deadlines and have other people depending on their completion. After that, I have lots of ideas, but Your will could be different from any of them. Give me ears to hear You and a heart to walk ahead, always moving in the light that You give me. Thank You for Your guidance and for nudging me in the direction of Your good, acceptable and perfect will.
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