Knowing the Will of God, Pt. 4

If we as parents are committed to guiding our children and helping them in every possible way we can, how much more will God do this for us?

Knowing the Will of God, Pt. 4

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting."

(Psalm 139:23-24)

I heard a pastor say, "God wants you to know His will for your life more than you want to know His will." God is committed to revealing to us His perfect plan for us. He promises in the Bible to do this very thing for His children. If we as parents are committed to guiding our children and helping them in every possible way we can, how much more will God do this for us?

Pastor Charles Stanley's teachings on this subject of knowing and doing the will of God are very helpful and practical. He answers this question: How does one discover God's will?

Read the Bible.
Pray and listen to God.
Circumstances. God uses events in our lives to get our attention and reveal to us His plans. When something happens, instead of chalking it up to coincidence, ask God, "What are You saying to me?" The event or occurrence may be something negative. It could very well be God closing a door to protect us. I am so glad God has closed doors and said no to me in my life! Looking back, I see now that He was watching over me and showing me the way that He would have me go. God does not close a door before opening another one, but there are times when He wants us to wait. He wants to work on us and get us ready to receive His best. God is engineering the circumstances for what is best.
Godly counsel. Asking a godly brother or sister in Christ for advice about determining God's will for your life is very wise. But you do not want to listen to just anyone. Make sure that this person is someone who loves Jesus and whom you can trust. I love this advice from Pastor Stanley: "Do not ask them, 'What do you think I should do?' Wrong question. 'What do you think the Word of God says I should do?' That puts it back on the Word of God."
Conscience. God has given us this moral filter in our lives. I think of Proverbs 20:27, which says, "The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart." The more you and I saturate our minds with the Word of God, the more accurate we can make decisions. The adage, "let your conscience be your guide," is not good advice if you do not know and walk with God! As Stanley puts it: "If you have a seared conscience, do not let your conscience be your guide."
Restlessness. Before God is about to move you or do something significant in your life, you might feel a sense of restlessness. This is not a bad thing. In fact, Stanley said that any time God wanted to change something in his life, he would get very restless; God's Spirit was getting his attention. Major decisions often come after a time of restlessness.
One step at a time. Now I admit, this one is convicting to me. I often get worried because I allow my mind to drift too far into the future. Walking by faith is a step-by-step daily process. God told Abram in Genesis 12:1 to leave his home and go to a place that He would show him. Paul planned on going one way, but God told him in Acts 16:6-10 to change course and go to a different place. It is okay to think and even plan about the future, but we should hold those plans loosely and be ready for God to guide us.
God uses unusual manifestations. God spoke to Moses in Exodus 3 and used a burning bush to get his attention. There was no question that it was God who had spoken to Moses. For Paul, God gave him a vision of a Macedonian pleading with him to come and help him. God made it clear to him where he was to go. God could do something similar in your life and mine. Let us be open to however God chooses to speak to us and point us in the direction He wants us to go.