Discerning the Perfect Will of God
by Michael L. Gowens
“…that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2b
Perhaps the most important question a person will ever consider is, “What is the central purpose of my life and how can I find it? What has God called me to do? How may I discover my life calling?” No pursuit is more fundamental to authentic Christian discipleship than the quest to “understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17).
But the question “What is God’s will for my life?” is also very daunting and (dare I say) potentially dangerous. It is daunting because determining Divine guidance is no easy matter. Lurking in the dark corners of the mind is the nagging fear that I will miss my life calling and settle for living a less than useful life. And it is potentially dangerous because it tends toward the frustration of a “something more” mentality—a mindset marked by perpetual discontent. Like the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, the Christian may become so preoccupied with the distant prospect that he fails to recognize the present opportunity. Waiting for the moving of the water, he fails to see the Lord Jesus standing in the midst. How vital it is for the Christian to remember that life assumes a sense of purpose and significance when he is concerned to take his place in the kingdom of God—not to set out on a search for his own personal niche of notoriety!
This quest to find and fulfill God’s calling is further complicated by the smorgasbord of ideas making the rounds today. Considerable confusion surrounds the discussion of this theme. One person suggests that God guides by “a still small voice” or a “burning in the bosom.” Another professes to get his leading by opening the Bible at random and taking his cue from the first verse that meets the eye. Another fancies a level of spirituality in which life is an ongoing dialogue with God. He interprets every sudden thought that impresses itself upon his mind as the voice of God. But such a “super-spirituality” can easily become a subtle form of manipulation. “The Lord told me that we should order blue carpet instead of green”—sadly, even professed believers are not above such political power plays.
The problem is that the claim to receive direct revelation is completely subjective—it cannot be validated. A young man once approached C. H. Spurgeon with the announcement, “Mr. Spurgeon, the Lord told me that I am to preach in your pulpit next Sunday.” The quick-witted Spurgeon replied, “That’s funny. I was just talking to Him and He didn’t say a word to me about it.” Once Christian people jettison the objective revelation of God in Scripture in favor of “dreams and visions”, they make themselves vulnerable to the kind of doctrinal deviation that surfaced a few years back when a popular “word-faith” teacher stopped in the middle of his sermon and said, “Wait just a minute…The Lord just spoke to me and said that God is not a trinity. There are not three, but seven in the Godhead.” Of course, he quickly retracted the claim when he met with significant protest.
Are feelings, inclinations, or sudden impulses indications of God’s will? Is it right to seek for signs? How does God lead His people? How do we make decisions that are according to the will of God? The perils and potential pitfalls of this quest notwithstanding, Scripture both affirms the priority of discovering and doing the will of God, and offers the criteria for determining Divine guidance.
- Two Basic Categories What does the Bible mean when it speaks of “the will of God”? It means one of two things. Theologians distinguish between God’s decreed, or decretive, will and His revealed, or directive, will. Sometimes when the Bible speaks of “the will of God”, it concerns something that God has purposed to do—a Divine decree, if you please—and sometimes, it speaks of something that He has commanded us to do—a Divine direction. For example, Scripture asserts that the salvation of sinners is a work contingent on God’s eternal purpose and covenant initiative, not man’s decision: “Having predestinated us according to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things according to the counsel of His own will” (Eph. 1:5, 11b – emphasis mine). It is not the fickle will of the sinner but the sovereign will of God that is determinative in salvation (cf. Heb. 10:8; Jno. 1:13; Rom. 9:16). What good news to know that what God has purposed to do will be done (Is. 46:10)! None can thwart His program or foil His plans, for He sovereignly “works His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth” (Dan. 4:35). But the Bible also employs this phrase to speak of directions for living that God has revealed to man. First John 5:14 speaks of the importance of “praying according to His will,” that is, prayer that is consistent with the mind of God as revealed in His word. It is this dimension of the concept that is under consideration in the third petition of the Model Prayer: “Pray after this manner…Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:10). Such a petition is simply a request that people would be obedient and submissive to the Lord Jesus Christ just as the angels in heaven are committed to the fulfillment of His commands. The very fact that someone is concerned to ask, “Lord, what would’st Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6) is an evidence of grace, for by nature, man is not concerned to do the will of God. In his natural fallenness, man is self-willed (Is. 53:7). His life-motto is, in the words of Sammy Davis, Jr., “I gotta be me…”, or as Frank Sinatra put it, “I did it my way…” God’s work of grace in the soul, however—a vital work known as “regeneration” or “the effectual call of the Spirit”—involves the imparting of a new principle to the heart in which a person is given a disposition toward and desire for God: “Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power” (Ps. 110:3; cf. Phi. 2:13). Now, the born again person has a heart that is inclined to obey the Lord—a heart marked by a concern to know and do the will of God, not to fulfill its own agenda. The question is no longer, “What do I want out of life?” but “What does the Lord require of me?” (Mic. 6:8). It is a concern for His will, not my own desires, that should characterize the life of every true believer. Two Sub-Categories But there is the rub. Between the desire do God’s will and the implementation of that desire, we tend to short-circuit. Indeed, the desire is instinctive to the new nature, but how can a person do God’s will unless he knows “what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17)? Of course, he cannot. The impulse in the heart to please God will only assume the shape of practical reality if the mind is instructed to “know the will of God” (Col. 1:9-10). Regeneration changes the bent and inclination of the soul; God’s word educates and informs the mind and transforms the walk (cf. Jno. 17:17). In the quest to discover and understand God’s will, then, it is essential to distinguish between His general and His specific will. The general will of God is the same for every one of His people, but His specific will differs from one person to the next. In a general sense, it is God’s will that all of his children—male or female, rich or poor, old or young—be like the Lord Jesus Christ. It is God’s will, generally speaking, that every one of His children would repent and commit themselves to a lifestyle of Christ-following (2 Pet. 3:9). Further, it is God’s will for you to keep your body pure and to abstain from sexual immorality (1 Ths. 4:3). Again, it is God’s will for each of His children, in a general sense, to be thankful: “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Ths. 5:18). Whatever my circumstances—whether or not I currently perceive God’s specific direction for my life—He requires me to be thankful to Him right now. To murmur and complain, as A. W. Pink said, is to quarrel with the dispensations of Providence. So, if I am truly interested in doing His will, I will be careful to reflect frequently on His goodness to me and seek to cultivate a thankful heart, for it is His will for me to give thanks in everything. Finally, in a general sense, it is God’s will that all of His people be submissive to authority (1 Pet. 2:13-15). Christian people should be model citizens, complying as much as possible with “every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake”. The vast majority of the will of God for the normal course of our lives has already been revealed in these clear directives from the word of God. Whether or not you have a firm grip on His specific leading for your life at the moment, a steady commitment to obey these general principles will prove to be a full-time job.His specific will, on the contrary, relates to the particularities of our lives; consequently, it differs from one person to the next (compare Acts 12:25 to Acts 13:2; cf. Jno. 21:20-22). Everyone, for instance, is not called to the official public ministry of the word in a particular sense, howbeit, in a general sense, Scripture does affirm the priority of every-member ministry in the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11,16). Further, within the context of formal gospel ministry, every minister is not called to the same tasks. Some are called to ministry that is of a more evangelistic nature and some to a more pastoral orientation. Yet again, within the pastorate, all pastors are not called to pastor the same church. Jeremiah 3:15 teaches that the Lord, in His great wisdom, gives specific pastors to specific churches. God’s word asserts that as the Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ superintends every local body (Rev. 1:13; 2:1 – 3:22), dispenses spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:18), and matchmakes congregations with undershepherds (Acts 20:28)—all according to His will.How, then, may you discover God’s vocational guidance for your life? No doubt, at one time or another, each of us has wondered in perplexity, “What should I do?”, as we sought to know God’s will about choosing a marriage partner, deciding on the course of a life-work, whether or not to move, etc. If His specific will differs from one person to the next, how does one proceed to discover the will of God for his life? Basic Biblical Principles The believer may discover the specific will of God for his life as he learns to apply certain Biblical principles. I will mention five particular principles:Keep close to the word of God, for His will is revealed in His word. Romans 12:2 outlines an important dynamic: “Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” As the mind is renewed by the word of God, the Christian is changed or “transformed”. He begins to think God’s thoughts after Him. He ceases to think in conformity to the fallen world system. As his thinking is altered, he is able to discern (“prove”) the will of God.Of course, there is no verse in the Bible that will answer the question, “Should I eat at this fast-food restaurant or that one?” I’m not talking about using the Bible like a magic board, fortune cookie, or black ball that proposes to offer answers to a child’s questions. But as the believer reads and meditates in God’s word, the Holy Spirit will use Scripture to impress upon the mind the right course of action (cf. Jos. 1:8).I hasten to add that God will never lead someone contrary to His word. For example, God has already said in Scripture that Christians are to marry “only in the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:39; 2 Cor. 6:14). That principle is the first criteria for determining Divine guidance, then, in the specific matter of seeking a life mate.The individual who attempts to justify an ungodly relationship by saying, “We’ve prayed about it and feel at peace”, can pray all day and convince himself that God approves. He may even find a verse or two that seems to justify his actions; nevertheless, the Lord has already revealed His mind in Scripture (1 Ths. 4:3ff; Jas. 1:13-16). In such a case, I do not hesitate to say that God is not leading. God only leads “in paths of righteousness” (Ps. 23:3), never in the path of disobedience.Pray for wisdom. The Lord normally guides people through their minds—as rational, not irrational, creatures (Ps. 32:8-9). It is unfortunate that so many have been influenced to think of guidance as something mystical—a serendipitous potion of faith and trust and just a little bit of pixie dust. Instead, God expects us to use the minds that He Himself has given us and to make wise judgments. But to make such good decisions, we need wisdom. No one possesses all the answers to life’s dilemmas in and of himself. James 1:5 promises that God will liberally grant wisdom to the person who asks for it in faith. God is pleased with the humble spirit expressed by the Psalmist: “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness” (Ps. 143:10). Seek godly counsel from those who are spiritually mature. A wise man will listen to counsel, but a foolish person makes up his mind without consulting those who have proven themselves to be wise (Pro. 12:15). The wise man knows the benefit of exposing his ideas to the scrutiny of others (cf. Pro. 15:22). He wants someone to ask him the hard questions—“What is your motivation? What potential obstacles will you face? What will you do if such and such occurs?, etc.” Though the final decision is yours or mine, God may indeed use the input of others to clarify the mind and to make his path a little clearer.Do what you know to do right now. If you are seeking to know God’s specific calling upon your life, walk in the light you now have and He will give more light in His time. Abraham’s servant said, “I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren” (Gen. 24:27). It is in the ordinary path of an obedient life that God’s specific will is increasingly made known: “A man’s gift maketh room for him and bringeth him before great men” (Pro. 18:16). There is a real tendency to miss God’s calling upon our lives because we are seeking some spectacular plan “somewhere out there”. Someone once said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re waiting for life to happen.” Are you today saying, “One day, my ship will come in; someday, my life will count for something”? When I notice myself toying with such illusions of grandeur, it helps me to remember the words of Jeremiah 45:5: “Seekest thou great things for thyself; seek them not.” Is it God’s will for you to influence thousands of people for the glory of Christ? Well, it may be. Who can tell? But in the meantime, labor to influence those few little ones about your knees. It is in the path of faithful and contented service to Christ in ordinary life that He is pleased to open new doors of opportunity. A man’s gift makes room for him. Beware, friend, of the subtle temptation to the kind of spiritual farsightedness that misses the opportunity of the moment because it is fixated on some future illusion. And finally, if you are seeking to discover the will of God for your life…Wait on the Lord to providentially arrange circumstances. The Psalmist counsels us to “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass…Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him…” (Ps. 37:5, 7a). If God is leading, He will open doors at each juncture of the process. Two cautions, however, are important here: (1) Remember that an open door is not necessarily a proof of guidance. Jonah’s ship to Tarsus teaches us that much; (2) Remember that obstacles are not necessarily evidence of God’s displeasure. In fact, every time God opens a door, the enemy will attempt to place an obstacle in the way (1 Cor. 16:9).Saturate your mind with Scripture, pray for wisdom, seek the counsel of godly brethren in the Lord, do what you know to do right now, and wait on the Lord to open the way. These are the Biblical principles for knowing God’s will. Finally, let’s consider an illustration of these principles. Nehemiah – A Case Study in Guidance The book of Nehemiah is a case study or object lesson of the way the Lord leads His own. Watch how God unfolds His will before Nehemiah and leads him “a step at a time, a day at a time”—“here a little and there a little”.It all began when Nehemiah noticed a need and began to feel burdened for that need (ch. 1). Such is usually the case. Picture a mother whose child is having various difficulties and problems at school. She is burdened for his welfare—physically, socially, academically, and spiritually. The child is being exposed at ever increasing levels to unbiblical concepts. She is burdened. “What should I do?” she wonders. Is God calling her to a particular kind of ministry to her children? She needs direction. Next, Nehemiah took his burden to the Lord in prayer. He sought God through prayer and fasting, waiting for over three months while the plan crystallized in his mind. One day, the Lord opened the door for him to share his burden with his superior, the king of Persia. Before he answered the king, however, he sent an “arrow prayer” toward heaven saying, “Lord, help me to say it right.” Through the entire process, Nehemiah demonstrates his total dependence on the Lord (ch. 2:1-6). Note, next the role that making wise and judicious decisions played in the process. Nehemiah planned, gathered the necessary materials, organized the work, and personally surveyed the building site before he divulged his plan to others. When he did finally communicate his vision, he did it in such a way that others could see what he saw, “and the people had a mind to work” (ch. 2:7 – 3:32). Midway through the project, the enemy launched an assault upon the workers (ch. 4). The bearers of burdens became discouraged. The threat of attack together with the pile of rubble made it difficult to maintain their enthusiasm. But Nehemiah, wise leader that he was, reorganized the work and juxtaposed the workers on the wall according to their families, encouraging them with the battle cry, “Remember the Lord and fight for your brethren…” When the enemy tried to distract Nehemiah from the project, he reaffirmed the priority of his Divine commission and refused to be diverted from the task at hand: “I am doing a great work and cannot come down” (ch. 6). It’s true. The Lord was leading in this case. Under God’s blessing, Nehemiah rebuilt over two miles of wall – a mammoth project for a makeshift group of construction workers composed of whole families working with materials salvaged from the ashes – in a mere fifty-two days! It is only the person who lives in the will of God who will witness true success in his labors. Perhaps John Cennick, the hymnwriter, knew something of this truth when he wrote, “Lord, submissive we would go, gladly leaving all below;Only Thou our leader be and we still will follow Thee.”Summary On a personal note, I’m not sure that I’ve ever been 100% certain about any major decision I’ve ever made. But I’ve moved forward in the fear of God according to the light that I had, trusting Him to direct. And over the years, in the normal path of living the Christian life, the Lord has given me a general sense of direction regarding the course that I was supposed to take. I don’t know what He may call upon me to do in the future, but I’m not waiting for that. Life is happening to me now. I’m here already. He is leading me right now – ah, blessed thought! I go forward in the confidence that He will “guide me with [His] counsel and afterward receive me to glory” (Ps. 73:24). And this will be my song through endless ages, “Jesus led me all the way.”