Discerning The Will Of God
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Finding Your Purpose: Discovering God's Will for Your Life
What is the greatest question a person will ever ask? It's not about what's for dinner or what career path to choose. The greatest question that governs everything we do is simply this: What is my purpose?
This question drives us through college, career changes, relationship decisions, and life transitions. It's a question so powerful that when people cannot answer it, depression can set in. When circumstances strip away the things we've used to define ourselves—our job, our role as a parent, our relationships—we can find ourselves utterly lost.
The Danger of Misplaced Identity
Consider what happens when we define ourselves solely by our roles. If you identify completely as a police officer, firefighter, doctor, or teacher, what happens when that career ends? If being a mom or dad is your only purpose, what happens when your children grow up and leave home? If you've built your identity around your spouse, what happens if they're no longer there?
The truth is, you are greater than any single role you fill. Jobs change. Relationships evolve. Even our most cherished roles transform over time. If these temporary things are the only foundation for our purpose, we're building on shifting sand.
The Foundation: God's Unchanging Word
The answer to finding lasting purpose begins with an unchanging foundation: God's Word. Unlike cultural norms that shift with every generation, unlike feelings that change with our mood, God's Word remains constant.
As Psalm 119:105 declares, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." In a world where morality is often treated as relative and truth is considered subjective, Scripture provides an anchor. It gives us unchanging guidance on how to live, how to face struggles, and how to find meaning.
Think about it: if morals and ethics are truly relative, then there's no standard to hold anyone accountable. But when we stand on God's Word, we have a foundation that doesn't shift with the winds of culture or the waves of popular opinion. The Ten Commandments haven't changed. The call to love, to be faithful, to trust God—these remain constant across all generations.
God's Word is also living and active. You can read the same passage at different times in your life and discover new insights that speak directly to your current situation. This isn't because the text changed, but because Scripture is alive, breathing fresh revelation into our circumstances.
The Attitude: Surrender and Wisdom
Understanding God's will requires more than just knowledge—it requires the right attitude. Proverbs 3:5-6 captures this perfectly: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
This passage calls for surrender—recognizing that our understanding is limited. The more we learn, the more we realize how much we don't know. Even highly educated people discover that their knowledge has boundaries. God's ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts higher than our thoughts.
Surrender means choosing to trust God even when we don't understand. It means choosing love and faithfulness even when our feelings tell us otherwise. Have you ever woken up in a bad mood for no apparent reason? If we rely solely on our feelings, we'll lie to ourselves, because feelings are fickle.
The choice to trust God over our own understanding is especially crucial during times of uncertainty and doubt. These times are normal and natural, but what keeps us going? Love. Faithfulness. Choosing to trust when we don't understand.
The Relationship: Knowing God Personally
Here's where many people miss the mark: you cannot know God's will without knowing God Himself. This isn't about religious activity—it's about relationship.
Psalm 37:4 promises, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Notice the order: delight comes first, then the fulfillment of desires. This isn't a transactional arrangement where God becomes a cosmic vending machine. It's about cultivating a relationship where we find joy in God's presence.
Just as we get to know friends and family by spending time with them, we get to know God by dwelling in His presence. Sometimes this means conversation through prayer. Sometimes it means simply being still, sitting quietly in His presence without feeling the need to fill the silence with words.
Psalm 37 also tells us to "be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him." In our fast-paced society where we fill every moment with activity, being still feels foreign, even uncomfortable at first. But over time, stillness becomes something we crave—a sanctuary where we find safety, peace, and clarity.
The Daily Practice: Living It Out
First Thessalonians 5:16-18 gives us practical instructions: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Notice these aren't suggestions for occasional religious moments—they're a lifestyle:
Rejoice always. This doesn't mean fake happiness when life is hard. It means maintaining an underlying joy rooted in God's presence, regardless of circumstances.
Pray continually. Not just designated prayer times, but ongoing communication with God throughout your day. When you face an emergency, when you see someone in need, when something good happens—talk to God in those moments.
Give thanks in all circumstances. This is perhaps the hardest. When life is falling apart, thanksgiving doesn't come naturally. But finding gratitude even in difficulty shifts our perspective and keeps us connected to God's goodness.
The passage also warns us to "test everything." Don't believe something just because a person has status, education, or authority. Test all teaching against Scripture. This is how we avoid being led astray by false teachings and deceptive philosophies.
The Promise: True Desires Fulfilled
When God promises to give you the desires of your heart, He's not talking about materialism—new cars, bigger houses, or financial windfalls. He's talking about the deepest desires every human shares: to be loved and accepted, to have hope and a future, to experience peace amid life's storms.
These are the real desires of our hearts. Everyone wants to feel loved. Everyone wants to understand their purpose. Everyone wants to know they matter.
God doesn't play hide and seek. He welcomes those who seek Him. He wants you to discover His will. But it doesn't come through shortcuts or transactions—it comes through knowing Him.
Your Next Step
So here's the question: Do you know God's will for you? Not just in general terms, but specifically for your life today?
If you're uncertain, start with the basics: Read God's Word. Spend time in prayer. Be still in His presence. Choose to trust Him even when you don't understand. Test everything against Scripture. Hold on to what is good.
Your purpose isn't defined by your job, your family role, your past mistakes, or your current struggles. Your purpose is defined by God's will—and He's ready to reveal it to anyone who genuinely seeks to know Him.
The journey to discovering God's will isn't complicated, but it does require commitment. It requires knowing God, not just knowing about Him. And that makes all the difference.
What is the greatest question a person will ever ask? It's not about what's for dinner or what career path to choose. The greatest question that governs everything we do is simply this: What is my purpose?
This question drives us through college, career changes, relationship decisions, and life transitions. It's a question so powerful that when people cannot answer it, depression can set in. When circumstances strip away the things we've used to define ourselves—our job, our role as a parent, our relationships—we can find ourselves utterly lost.
The Danger of Misplaced Identity
Consider what happens when we define ourselves solely by our roles. If you identify completely as a police officer, firefighter, doctor, or teacher, what happens when that career ends? If being a mom or dad is your only purpose, what happens when your children grow up and leave home? If you've built your identity around your spouse, what happens if they're no longer there?
The truth is, you are greater than any single role you fill. Jobs change. Relationships evolve. Even our most cherished roles transform over time. If these temporary things are the only foundation for our purpose, we're building on shifting sand.
The Foundation: God's Unchanging Word
The answer to finding lasting purpose begins with an unchanging foundation: God's Word. Unlike cultural norms that shift with every generation, unlike feelings that change with our mood, God's Word remains constant.
As Psalm 119:105 declares, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." In a world where morality is often treated as relative and truth is considered subjective, Scripture provides an anchor. It gives us unchanging guidance on how to live, how to face struggles, and how to find meaning.
Think about it: if morals and ethics are truly relative, then there's no standard to hold anyone accountable. But when we stand on God's Word, we have a foundation that doesn't shift with the winds of culture or the waves of popular opinion. The Ten Commandments haven't changed. The call to love, to be faithful, to trust God—these remain constant across all generations.
God's Word is also living and active. You can read the same passage at different times in your life and discover new insights that speak directly to your current situation. This isn't because the text changed, but because Scripture is alive, breathing fresh revelation into our circumstances.
The Attitude: Surrender and Wisdom
Understanding God's will requires more than just knowledge—it requires the right attitude. Proverbs 3:5-6 captures this perfectly: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
This passage calls for surrender—recognizing that our understanding is limited. The more we learn, the more we realize how much we don't know. Even highly educated people discover that their knowledge has boundaries. God's ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts higher than our thoughts.
Surrender means choosing to trust God even when we don't understand. It means choosing love and faithfulness even when our feelings tell us otherwise. Have you ever woken up in a bad mood for no apparent reason? If we rely solely on our feelings, we'll lie to ourselves, because feelings are fickle.
The choice to trust God over our own understanding is especially crucial during times of uncertainty and doubt. These times are normal and natural, but what keeps us going? Love. Faithfulness. Choosing to trust when we don't understand.
The Relationship: Knowing God Personally
Here's where many people miss the mark: you cannot know God's will without knowing God Himself. This isn't about religious activity—it's about relationship.
Psalm 37:4 promises, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Notice the order: delight comes first, then the fulfillment of desires. This isn't a transactional arrangement where God becomes a cosmic vending machine. It's about cultivating a relationship where we find joy in God's presence.
Just as we get to know friends and family by spending time with them, we get to know God by dwelling in His presence. Sometimes this means conversation through prayer. Sometimes it means simply being still, sitting quietly in His presence without feeling the need to fill the silence with words.
Psalm 37 also tells us to "be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him." In our fast-paced society where we fill every moment with activity, being still feels foreign, even uncomfortable at first. But over time, stillness becomes something we crave—a sanctuary where we find safety, peace, and clarity.
The Daily Practice: Living It Out
First Thessalonians 5:16-18 gives us practical instructions: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Notice these aren't suggestions for occasional religious moments—they're a lifestyle:
Rejoice always. This doesn't mean fake happiness when life is hard. It means maintaining an underlying joy rooted in God's presence, regardless of circumstances.
Pray continually. Not just designated prayer times, but ongoing communication with God throughout your day. When you face an emergency, when you see someone in need, when something good happens—talk to God in those moments.
Give thanks in all circumstances. This is perhaps the hardest. When life is falling apart, thanksgiving doesn't come naturally. But finding gratitude even in difficulty shifts our perspective and keeps us connected to God's goodness.
The passage also warns us to "test everything." Don't believe something just because a person has status, education, or authority. Test all teaching against Scripture. This is how we avoid being led astray by false teachings and deceptive philosophies.
The Promise: True Desires Fulfilled
When God promises to give you the desires of your heart, He's not talking about materialism—new cars, bigger houses, or financial windfalls. He's talking about the deepest desires every human shares: to be loved and accepted, to have hope and a future, to experience peace amid life's storms.
These are the real desires of our hearts. Everyone wants to feel loved. Everyone wants to understand their purpose. Everyone wants to know they matter.
God doesn't play hide and seek. He welcomes those who seek Him. He wants you to discover His will. But it doesn't come through shortcuts or transactions—it comes through knowing Him.
Your Next Step
So here's the question: Do you know God's will for you? Not just in general terms, but specifically for your life today?
If you're uncertain, start with the basics: Read God's Word. Spend time in prayer. Be still in His presence. Choose to trust Him even when you don't understand. Test everything against Scripture. Hold on to what is good.
Your purpose isn't defined by your job, your family role, your past mistakes, or your current struggles. Your purpose is defined by God's will—and He's ready to reveal it to anyone who genuinely seeks to know Him.
The journey to discovering God's will isn't complicated, but it does require commitment. It requires knowing God, not just knowing about Him. And that makes all the difference.
Posted in healing, hope, Practical Faith, Discerning God\'s Will
Posted in #discerminggodswill, #practicalfaith, #encounterGod, #pastorstevenlarrabee, #lacrossecommunityCOTN
Posted in #discerminggodswill, #practicalfaith, #encounterGod, #pastorstevenlarrabee, #lacrossecommunityCOTN
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