God is in the Small StuffSample

You Can Know God’s Will

God’s will is a paradox. It’s both easy to find and difficult to discern. God’s will can be immediate, or it may take years to figure out. God’s will can frustrate you or give you tremendous peace. 

One thing is for sure. You can know God’s will. Although it may seem mysterious, there’s really no mystery to it. If you know where to look, God’s will is there. And if you listen carefully, God will speak to you in amazing ways.

First of all, God speaks through His Word, the Bible. Everything we need for living a life that pleases God—and what could be more in His will than that—is in the Bible. As you get to know God’s Word, you will get to know God’s will. 

Second, God speaks through your own judgment and common sense. But beware. Your decisions will line up with God’s will only if you know God personally in the first place, and then only if your relationship with God is right. When you’re in this condition, you will operate with “the mind of Christ.” The Holy Spirit will guide you from the inside. 

Finally, and most commonly, God speaks through the details of your life. Oswald Chambers put it this way: “God speaks in the language you know best—not through your ears but through your circumstances.” 

You think your life is an accident? Not a chance. You’re here for a reason. And what you do matters to God. Everything. Not just the stuff you do in church or Bible study (although that is very important), but in the everyday small stuff. That’s where you’ll find God’s will most often. 

Take a look at your life. Think about the moments and events—the details—and see how far you’ve come. Those “good things” weren’t coincidences. You weren’t just “lucky.” If your heart has followed after God, then God has been leading you, and you have been doing His will, perhaps without even knowing it. 

On the other hand, if you feel like life is dealing you one bad hand after another, and you feel sorry for yourself—and you’re mad at God—maybe it’s time to get back to basics. Take the focus off yourself and get to know God better by reading His Word, praying, and associating with people who are in God’s will. God wants to direct you through the details of your life. Give Him a chance.