This is part four of our study of what it means to live life walking in God’s will. You can catch up or review by reading parts one, two, and three. If you are stumbling upon this for the first time, our premise is that God’s will is not a secret and that it is the same for each individual.
The challenge lies in discerning His will in our very specific and disparate circumstances and decisions. The point of this series is to provide some questions we can ask to help us eliminate the noise around our choices, and boil them down to the simple and plain teaching of scripture. Let’s look at the final two questions we can ask.
When wondering if we should do something, ask yourself, “Would Jesus do this?” This harkens back to the popular “What Would Jesus Do (WWJD)” fad of a couple of decades ago. While it may sound trite or cliché today, the principle is still solid. If Jesus wouldn’t do it, then neither should you. If He would, then that’s what you should do (1 John 2:6). This is perhaps the simplest and most practical test to use for any decision, especially those that involve engaging in a particular exercise or activity. Of course, we must be honest in our response. Again, God’s will is not a secret. We just don’t always like it.
Now we come to our final question: “Will this glorify God or me?” Someone is going to get the glory for what you decide or do. Who will it be? If your decision will not in some way bring glory to God, then what is the point? If it brings honor to us, then the point is clear but every bit as meaningless. Everything we do is to be for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). If it’s not, don’t do it. The purpose of our lives is to glorify God (Isaiah 43:6-7). It’s built into each of us because it is His will for our lives. God’s will is not a secret because we come with it installed at our very core.
The will of God is not some nebulous, unknowable mystery. He wants you to obey His commands so you will look like Him (Romans 8:29). This brings Him glory, and that is the will of God (1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Peter 1:14-16). We confuse things when we make the mistake of thinking anything in our lives is about us. Nothing is about us because it is all about Him. When our focus is on our desires, our comfort, and our acclaim, we are not walking in God’s will. To be in God’s will is to have our focus on Him alone.
It’s not easy to live a life that looks like Jesus in a world that looks like the Devil. If you are walking in God’s will, you are going to stand out (John 15:18-19; 2 Timothy 3:12). You can’t hide light, and when you look like Jesus, you will shine (Matthew 5:14-16; Philippians 2:14-15). I encourage you to read through this series again. Review each of the ten questions so that you will have them at hand when your next decision arrives. God’s will is not a secret. We can know it and choose to live for Him. When we do, we will walk worthy of the calling He puts on each of our lives (Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 1:9-10).