“Father, I am seeking: I am hesitant and uncertain, but will you, O God, watch over each step of mine and guide me.” – Saint Augustine
As a Christian, there is great joy in knowing that we do not have to fumble through life trying to find our own way. A passage that I use often in both counseling and formal prayers is, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way” (Psalm 37:23). For each of, we can rest assured that God has a blue print for each one our lives. Outside of knowing God as my Savior and Sanctifier, knowing Him as my Guide is the most important knowledge of my life.
Now that said, I am not naïve when it comes to the subject of God’s will. It is not always super easy and clear cut. A frequent question that I get is, “How do we know what the will of God is for us specifically?”
I know that I have come to many crossroads where I have wondered what God’s will was for my family and me. In one experience, I thought that was pursuing the will of God, which as it turned out, I was not. And in the other, I thought I had missed the place God wanted me, and saw later that I was in the center of God’s will. The strange thing was that although both situations were very difficult to go through, they both yielded great lessons. Therefore, I personally know the complexity of this subject.
Life is a lot like driving in a city prior to GPS, it is not always so easy to find your way around – especially in Washington, D.C. One wrong turn can cost you an hour of your life just trying to get back on course – especially during rush hour traffic! So, how do we successfully navigate our way through life?
I truly believe that on this journey through life, God has put distinctive road signs out there to help us find our way. I also believe that if we use these signs, God will order and guide our steps in the direction He wants them to go.
- Road Sign #1 is God’s Word. Without a doubt, God’s Word is our greatest guide to knowing what He wants for us. God’s Word is our moral compass. According to the writer of Hebrews, “It is living and powerful,” and is “a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (4:12). God’s Word stands like the road sign marked “Divided Highway/Keep Right!” Anything to the “left” of the sign contradicts the Bible’s commands, and God’s will is never found in that direction. As a starting point, we can read the Bible, God’s moral law, and apply it to any decision and immediately know if we are right or wrong. A life decision that contradicts God’s Word is ALWAYS wrong – PERIOD!
- Road Sign #2 is Circumstances. We know as believers that no circumstance develops by chance. I believe in neither happenstance, blind luck, nor karma. We serve a sovereign ruler. Deuteronomy 10:14, says “Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it.” As Christians, we read God’s Word because He is the author. We should read God’s “providence” because He controls it. God often will use open and shut doors to reveal His will to us. I remember my mother telling me early on in my Christian walk to go ahead as if there was an open door. God will shut that door if it is not His will. I have found those wise words to be consistently true in my life.
- Road Sign #3 is God’s Still Small Voice. For me personally, this is the most difficult road sign to see. I know that there have been many times I have sped right by this sign, only to meet a state trooper waiting for me. I was speeding along trying to make it happen in my own strength and wisdom. When it comes to voice of God, He usually does not speak in a dramatic, “Damascus Road” type of way. He more often comes like He came to Elijah when he was hiding in the cave. He often comes to us in that moment where we have finally stopped trying to do it on our own.
- Road Sign #4 is Mature Counsel. Proverbs 24:6, says “For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.” I know personally that this has been a place of safety for me. I give all praise to God for the mature counsel I have received over the years in discovering God’s will for my life.
- Road Sign #5 is Prayer. “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen (Matthew 6:9-13). Never underestimate the power of prayer!
Mature counsel, God’s Still Small Voice, Circumstances, the Word of God, and Prayer can all help you in finding God’s will for your life.
Blessings,
Chaplain Brad Baumann