Are We in God's Will?

Every week someone from our church writes a devotional to go along with the verse we are memorizing.  I thought today's devotional about being in God's will by Wendall Loewen, a Tabor Bible Prof., was especially good.  When faced with a big decision I often find myself wondering if I made the right choice.  Will I be doing God's will if I choose this way or that way? 

This is Wendall's take on our verse for this week:

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."

Romans 12:2

"'How can I know God's will for my life?'  At the college I hear that question a lot.  I can't tell you how many times I've had students in my office wrestling with God's will - careers, majors, relationships, the list goes on.  Truth is, if they're pleading with God, praying for God's will to be revealed and seeking others' wisdom, they probably already know God's will.

There's a popular notion that God's will is like a pinpoint on a roadmap of the future. There's only one place to live, one career to follow and one person to marry. If these aren't found we're doomed for second best. There's another idea that God's keeping His will a secret - playing a divine game of hide and seek or something.

While the Bible does give us some instances in which God says "Go here and do this" (Abraham, Moses or Cornelius), those are exceptions, not the rule. The Scriptures, in fact, point us to doing the will of God in the present.

Notice Paul's emphasis in Romans 12:1-2. Commit your entire being to God now, and then you will be able to have confidence about God's will. Are you struggling to understand God's will? Get as close to God as you can then do what you love. God has gifted each of us to contribute to His kingdom. Let your choices flow out of a deep relationship with God and flow toward the way God has designed you.

Think of a fenced-in playground. As we glorify God and follow Jesus, we are living out God's will - inside the fence.  Once inside, we are free to choose the seesaw, the swing or the slide. We are free to choose what we love to do and live out our God-given desires and dreams.

Seek God's kingdom, pursue Christ above all and your choices will reflect God's pleasing and perfect will."

Wendall Loewen