I have been thinking recently about the term, “will of God”. I have been praying about the will of God for my life and what that means. Today in the Bible reading and more clearly in the devotional for the daily Bible reading, the will of God is discussed. Bear with me a few as I get a little theological but I hope in the end you understand more of the will of God. First there is a will of God that is called a will of decree. The will of decree by God is what God wills to happen. The flood is something that the will of decree made happen. The rain came down, God shut the ark, the waters rose, and Noah was saved. This is all the will of decree by God. What God wills in His decree will always every time happen. When we think of the will of God for our lives, we are NOT thinking the will of decree.
God also has another will, the will of desire. When we think of the will of God for our lives this is the will of God we are thinking about. Noah having faith in God is part of the will of desire. God did not force Noah to believe but God desired that Noah would. Noah followed the will of desire and believe in God and was saved because of it. But the thing is, when we think of the will of God in desire we start to think in specific terms many times. Let me give you some examples.
What job does God want me to take?
Does God want me to stay in this Job?
Does God even have a job or career for my life?
Who does God want me to marry?
How many children does God want me to have?
What church is God leading me to attend?
Which house does God want me to buy?
Which college does God want me to go to?
What ministry does God want me to start?
And these are just a few times that we think God has a specific will for our lives. The scriptures never ever say that God’s will for our lives is that specific. Let me repeat that, the Bible never ever says God has a specific will for our lives that is that specific. Instead God’s will for our lives looks more like these verses and commands.
Love the Lord God with all your heart and soul (Deut. 30:10)
Put sin to death in our lives (Romans 6:2)
Rejoice in the Lord, always (Phil. 4:4)
Love others, do not be idle, be peaceful, patience, pray always, give (1 Thess. 5:13-18)
Do not love the world or anything in it (1 John 2:15)
These are some examples of God’s will of desire for us. God does not have a specific will of desire for us about a job, college, who to marry, or certain church because He wants us to trust him and take risks. God does have a will of desire for our lives, it just revolves around looking more like Jesus and less like the world. Like Deuteronomy says to us today, we are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind; and live in confidence knowing this is the will of God for us today and tomorrow. We can live freely in this confidence and take some risks for Jesus. I know I have.
God also has another will, the will of desire. When we think of the will of God for our lives this is the will of God we are thinking about. Noah having faith in God is part of the will of desire. God did not force Noah to believe but God desired that Noah would. Noah followed the will of desire and believe in God and was saved because of it. But the thing is, when we think of the will of God in desire we start to think in specific terms many times. Let me give you some examples.
What job does God want me to take?
Does God want me to stay in this Job?
Does God even have a job or career for my life?
Who does God want me to marry?
How many children does God want me to have?
What church is God leading me to attend?
Which house does God want me to buy?
Which college does God want me to go to?
What ministry does God want me to start?
And these are just a few times that we think God has a specific will for our lives. The scriptures never ever say that God’s will for our lives is that specific. Let me repeat that, the Bible never ever says God has a specific will for our lives that is that specific. Instead God’s will for our lives looks more like these verses and commands.
Love the Lord God with all your heart and soul (Deut. 30:10)
Put sin to death in our lives (Romans 6:2)
Rejoice in the Lord, always (Phil. 4:4)
Love others, do not be idle, be peaceful, patience, pray always, give (1 Thess. 5:13-18)
Do not love the world or anything in it (1 John 2:15)
These are some examples of God’s will of desire for us. God does not have a specific will of desire for us about a job, college, who to marry, or certain church because He wants us to trust him and take risks. God does have a will of desire for our lives, it just revolves around looking more like Jesus and less like the world. Like Deuteronomy says to us today, we are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind; and live in confidence knowing this is the will of God for us today and tomorrow. We can live freely in this confidence and take some risks for Jesus. I know I have.
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