A common desire I often hear from people is, “How can I know God’s will?” Many people have a heart felt desire to know God’s will; however, it seems elusive. This problem is not unique to us as the Apostle Paul gave this admonition to the early church,

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17)

Since Paul commanded them to understand the will of God, that implies that it’s possible to for one to know God’s will. There are a number of passages in the Bible that indicate God’s will for your life, here’s an example,

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

This verse clearly states that God’s will is your sanctification. The word sanctification has the idea of being set apart. You are set apart as a holy vessel for God. Sanctification is the process of becoming more like Jesus. What does it mean to be set apart? You recognize that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and you seek to do that which is pleasing to God. Others may have the freedom to watch and do certain things, but you choose not to.

A common area that adversely affects our holiness is sexual immorality. This can be a pervasive sin with many damaging consequences. You are not only to abstain from sexual immorality, but from any type of evil as Paul writes later on,

abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)

The key to successful living is not simply knowing God’s will, but doing God’s will. It seems that the problem many of us face is following through on doing God’s will. If you knew God’s will, would you do it? Many people are amenable to God’s will until it conflicts with their will. The Bible teaches us to put God first, but we like to put ourselves first. We know that the Bible teaches us to forgive one another, but we can be prone to hold grudges.

If you’re not willing to do His will when it’s revealed, then why should you expect God to give you further guidance? An important principle we see in Scripture is that God will give you more light as you respond to the light you’ve been given. If you’re not responding to the truth He has given to you, then He will not give you more truth until you follow through on what He’s already commanded you to do.

You must realize that God’s commandments are not burdensome, but they are designed for your well being. They may not always make sense, but they are for your benefit. What is your response when you’re facing a challenging time?  Paul tells us this is God’s will for you,

in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Be encouraged that God knows what He’s doing.

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Chu,rch at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

Follow me on twitter:  rickhiggins5