How do I know what God's will is for my life?

What is God's will for your life? Many of God's people desire to do God's will, but struggle because they don't know what God's will is. The following are some principles from God's Word that will help you to discern what God's will is for you.

Ø God does have great plans for your life!

We were created by God, in His image, for a purpose. Just as God set apart from birth Isaiah (Isaiah 49:1), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5) and Paul (Galatians 1:15) for a specific purpose, he also has a specific plan for your life.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declared the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

The Bible says that God's will is “good, pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

Ø God's will, first and foremost, is that we have a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.

“This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4).

Ø God wants us to be Christ's disciples.

This means Christians must be committed to following God's will daily, whatever the cost.

“If anyone would come to me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

Ø The Bible will help us to know God's will.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).

God promises to give us wisdom if we just ask Him in prayer, believing that He will give it.

Sometimes we need to just ask God to give us wisdom to discern His will.

Ø “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

In Philippians 4:6, God tells us that we can pray about everything.

Ø God has given us the Holy Spirit for guidance.

“…when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth…” (John 16:13a).

Ø We should listen to the advice of godly men and women that God has placed in our lives.

Ø Many times the advice of a parent, pastor, youth minister, Sunday school teacher or other mature person is just what we need to hear to help us decide what God wants us to do.

Ø “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice” (Proverbs 12:15).

Ø “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22).

Ø The Bible says that there is a peace that comes when we are pleasing God with our lives.

Ø When deciding between two alternatives that you have been praying about, sometimes one of the options will give you a greater peace. That option is probably God's will.

Ø “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever” (Isaiah 32:17).

Ø We should trust God in faith that He will accomplish His will in our lives.

Ø “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Ø “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in your will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Ø God has given each of us gifts and abilities to use in His service.

Ø God always equips us to do what he calls us to do. If you aren't gifted in a certain area, God is probably not calling you to minister in that area. (See Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and Ephesians 4:11-13 for lists of spiritual gifts and a discussion of them.)

Ø Remember that God's ultimate purpose for all of us is that He would be glorified (1 Corinthians 10:31) and that the gospel and God's kingdom would be advanced (Genesis 50:20 and Philippians 1:12).