How can I know what God’s will is in my life or in a particular situation? This is a legitimate question and one that followers of Christ should be asking. If we love God we should want to do what pleases Him, as well as what He has designed us to do. In some cases this question can be easily answered; in most it is not so simple. Let’s explore why we should want to know and do God’s will in our lives, and how we can discover what that is.
Start where Scripture is clear
Before we wrestle with the gray areas, begin with what God has already made plain. God’s will is not hidden on the essentials. He wants you to be saved, to be sanctified, to give thanks, to do good, to walk in purity and integrity. The Bible speaks directly here.
- “This is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
- “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind; that by testing you may discern what is the will of God” (Romans 12:2).
- “He has told you, O man, what is good” (Micah 6:8).
- “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people” (1 Peter 2:15).
If the choice before you violates what God has clearly said, you already have your answer. You can be 100 percent certain about God’s will when Scripture gives a command or moral boundary. Obey what you know. Light often increases as you walk in the light you have.
The posture God uses – willing surrender
Many of us want direction from God more than we want fellowship. Yet guidance flows out of a surrendered, abiding life. Present yourself to God first. Plans come second. Romans 12:1 says to offer your body as a living sacrifice. That is not a small thing; it is the doorway to discernment. Jesus says, “Abide in me” in John 15; fruit comes from union with Him, not frantic effort.
We do not bend God’s will to fit ours. We ask Him to bend our will to fit His.
Here is a heart-level test: if God made His will crystal clear right now, would you do it even if it cut across your preferences, your timeline, or your comfort? Jesus promised, “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know” (John 7:17). Willingness precedes clarity. We do not bend God’s will to fit ours. We ask Him to bend our will to fit His.
A Renewed mind changed desires
God often leads by reshaping how we think and what we love. As your mind is renewed by the Word, you begin to “approve what is excellent” and sense what pleases the Lord in real-life choices (Romans 12:2; Philippians 1:9-10). This changes desire. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). That is not a blank check. It is a promise that our delight will reorder our desires. Sometimes the right decision becomes the glad decision because God has changed you along the way.
Wisdom for the gray areas
There are decisions that Scripture does not specify: which job to take, which city to move to, which school to choose. That is by design. God grows us through the process of seeking wisdom and walking by faith. Ephesians 5:15-17 says to walk carefully, making the best use of the time, and to “understand what the will of the Lord is.” Paul is talking about wisdom here. The question is often not “What is permitted?” but “What is wisest?”
James encourages us to ask God for wisdom; He promises to give it generously without reproach (James 1:5). Spend time in prayer – pour it all out to Him and then listen. Literally listen in the quiet. The Spirit will often speak quietly, often through impression. Here God’s word is invaluable – let it guide you as well. It is a manual for life, you need to be reading and absorbing it daily.
Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts like an umpire when you reach a decision that honors Him (Colossians 3:15). Peace is not the only factor in knowing His will, but it helps you move forward without a divided heart.
Lay down assumptions and weights
We all have invisible lines we will not cross. Minimum salaries. Zip code preferences. Status expectations. These are encumbrances to knowing and following God’s will. God often surfaces these in our life, not to shame us, but to set us free. Hebrews 12:1 tells us to lay aside “every weight” and the sin that clings so closely. Not everything that ties you down is a sin, but it can still be a weight. Ask honest questions: am I insisting that God fit into boundaries I have drawn for Him? Am I willing to let go of my expectations if that best serves Christ? Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him (Luke 9:23). We cannot truly be in the will of God if we have not surrendered everything to Him.
Everyday ways the Holy Spirit guides us
- Scripture: not for scavenger-hunt verses but for shaping your mind and conscience. A daily regimen of reading and meditation on His word. God’s Word trains your powers of discernment (Hebrews 5:14).
- Prayer: unhurried time speaking directly with Him adjusts your inner compass. Prayer illuminates our own thoughts while we converse with Him and often results in Him miraculously changing our lives. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go” is God’s promise to His people (Psalm 32:8).
- The body of Christ: seek counsel from wise believers who know Scripture and know you. Next to seeking His face this can be an important form of clarity in seeking His will. Godly believers will pray with you and counsel you carefully as they also seek His will. “In an abundance of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14; 15:22).
- Providence: pay attention to the doors God seems to open or those He shuts. Paul did this, noting a “wide door for effective work” in one place and closed paths in another (1 Corinthians 16:9; Acts 16:6-10). Be cautious; circumstances may inform, but they do not rule.
Gifts, seasons, and stewardship
God does not call you to live someone else’s life. Consider the way He has wired you; your gifts, strengths, and holy desires. Spiritual gifts are given for building up the church (1 Corinthians 12). Your decisions should move you toward faithfulness in that calling using your gifts for the benefit of the body. Consider your season; the needs of your spouse, children, aging parents; the real limits on your time and energy. Love is practical and sacrificial. Stewardship matters.
A simple path for making hard decisions
When a choice is not directly addressed in Scripture and you still feel the weight of it, here is a way to move forward without paralysis.
- Submit: tell the Lord you are fully willing to do whatever He shows you; hold nothing back.
- Search: open your Bible; ask what it reveals about motives, priorities, purity, and wisdom related to this decision.
- Seek: ask God for wisdom; invite a few mature believers to counsel with you in honesty.
- Scan: consider gifts, your desires being shaped by delight in God, and the real needs of those under your care.
- Sift: lay your assumptions on the table; name the weights and limitations; surrender them to God.
- Set a plan: choose a path that best honors Christ, even if it includes risk; count the cost but do not let that be your deciding factor.
- Step: act in faith; trust your Father to shepherd you as you walk.
This is not a formula; it is a way to avoid fear-based indecision. God guides moving feet.
His Will is Not a tightrope
Some believers treat the will of God like a tightrope; one wrong step and everything unravels. That is not how a Father treats His children – it is certainly not how God treats those who love Him. Scripture pictures a path of righteousness and even a highway of holiness for the ransomed to walk on (Psalm 23:3; Isaiah 35:8).
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths”
Proverbs 3:5-6
You can make a wise, God-honoring choice among several good options and still be safely within His will. He is not looking to trick you. He is teaching you to trust Him. Sometimes an abundance of good options is His way of blessing you. Trust who He is and His gracious love and mercy.
Even when the way is costly, He is present. Paul moved forward “constrained by the Spirit,” knowing trials awaited him. He would say he did not count his life of any value compared to finishing his course to testify to the grace of God (Acts 20:22-24). Faith does not remove uncertainty. Faith simply places it on the One who knows the end from the beginning.
After you decide
Take the step you believe best honors Christ and keep walking. Do the next right thing. Stay in the Word daily. Pray often. Keep short accounts with God; confess sin quickly and maintain a clear conscience (1 John 1:9; Psalm 66:18). Keep serving the church. Keep loving people. And keep your hands open.
If you need a course correction, your Shepherd knows how to get your attention. “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21).
If anxiety strikes after you decide, let Philippians 4:6-7 shape your response: pray with thanksgiving; ask specifically; then rest as God’s peace that guards your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Fear does not have the last word; your Father’s care does.
When you feel stuck
Sometimes you do all this and still feel stuck. That is okay. Slow down. Fast for a day. Go on a long walk and pray the Psalms. Ask a trusted, godly friend to sit with you and ask probing questions about motives and fears. Revisit the non-negotiables of Scripture. Reaffirm your willingness to obey, whatever the cost.
Do not let yourself be weighed down by choice. Pick a time in the near future, with God’s prompting. Make a choice by that date; and trust the Lord to shepherd you as you move. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Final encouragement
God’s will is not a riddle for the clever; it is the daily road of fellowship for the willing. Start with what He has said. Offer yourself to Him. Seek wisdom in His Word and among His people. Lay down the weights. Make the choice that best honors Christ. Then walk on, eyes up, heart steady. Your Savior lives in you by His Spirit; He will not abandon you. And even in the small, ordinary steps, He is conforming you to the image of His Son; which is, after all, His good and perfect will for you (Romans 8:28-29; Colossians 1:9-10).
