“I just want to know God’s will.” “I just need some clarity.” “I want to make sure I’m not missing God’s plan for me.”
Ever find yourself saying these things? I know I have, many times. Heck, I’m the king of “I just want to be in God’s will.” In fact I’ve spent entire seasons of my life (sometimes lasting a year) trying to determine God’s will for me.
It can be a really unpleasant place to be, this position of in-between, uncertainty, and longing to know what to do next. After all, we just want to make God happy right?
Although I can’t sit here and tell you exactly how God wants you to spend your life, I can tell you a few things that I’ve learned that will help you discover His plan without losing your mind in the process.
Learn to trust. A cry for “clarity” is often an indication that we really don’t trust Him. We want to see more clearly, but that’s because we don’t have faith that our lives are really in His hands. Learn to accept uncertainty with grace and believe that He will not abandoned you to fumble around in the dark.
Do something. Sometimes we put the brakes on serving or committing to anything for fear that we won’t be available once we figure out what God’s will is. Stop being so selfish! There are bigger needs out there than the warm fuzzies you’re seeking. Don’t you believe that God is big enough to move you on when He’s ready to reveal His plan? 1st Peter 4:10 tells us to use our gifts to serve others. To not be serving is to be out of God’s will, so serve.
Pray. To say that you’re “seeking God’s will” but to not be praying is simply lying about what you’re doing. You’re just worrying about your future. Seriously, there’s no single act that will bring you closer to discovering God’s will than praying. In fact, God’s will is that you pray! (1st Thessalonians 5:18)
Cultivate intimacy with the Father. In times when God is not offering you a plan or a map, He is offering you Himself. Don’t mistake his silence for indifference. It’s a call for intimacy and, in time, you’ll learn to cherish that quiet intimacy more than anything else.
God’s will is a call to become. At the end of the day, Father God is far more interested in who you are becoming than what you are doing. Focus on becoming all that He created you to be and the doing will come naturally. In fact, you may even find yourself stepping into His plan without even realizing it!
One last thing: God is not cruel. He is not playing “find the plan” and deliberately making it hard on you. He’s not high fiving the angels saying, “look at that idiot trying to find my will.” His will is not a needle in a haystack that you have to find or God will be unhappy with you. He loves you and wants you to experience “life abundantly”. He may even have several options for you to choose from. He probably even wants you to have a wonderful time exploring them!
Great post! I’ve been there many times.
Great word! The part I can identify most with is cultivating intimacy with God…He really does want us to draw closer to Him. We really cannot ever pray enough. (1 Thess. 5:17) We get too distracted, sometimes, ‘searching’ for God or His will, instead of really actively seeking relationship/talking (aka praying) to God, and then patiently waiting in His presence (the faith part!).
“Learn to accept uncertainty with grace and believe that He will not abandoned you to fumble around in the dark.”
“Don’t mistake his silence for indifference.”
Thanks for the reminder Lee! Great post!
Thanks Tommy!
Useful words, Lee. Why isn’t that there is a map of our life that God gives us at birth like the Amazing Race? It would take all the romance of faith out of life, wouldn’t it?
I think you nailed it when you said… “God’s will is a call to become.”
Like Nate said above, we search for a map. But all along God wants us searching for Him! There is a Spirit-directed freedom in seeking after God!
Thanks for posting!