Today we continue to look for ways to ensure we are walking in God’s will. His will is not an unknowable mystery, and it is vital that we understand the will of God for us to live productive and fruitful lives worthy of our calling (Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 1:9-10). If you are jumping in for the first time, please check out “Walking in God’s Will, Part 1” and “Walking in God’s Will, Part 2,” to see the first five questions to ask when seeking to know God’s will.
There is no decision you will encounter in life that God’s Word does not give you the principles to know what you should choose. With that, let’s dive into the next set of questions you can ask to discern God’s will.
Our next question is, “Will it enslave me?” Jesus was clear in stating we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). We will love Christ and despise everything this world has to offer, or we will reject Christ and allow the things of this world to enamor us. You cannot have it both ways. People consume their lives with television, the internet, and their smartphones. Those devices become our masters. Jesus will not share His throne with anyone or anything. Whenever you choose to spend time with those things rather than God, you are proving you love the world. That is never God’s will (1 John 2:15-17). The same is true for anyone or anything we make more important than God.
It’s also important to ask, “Will this justify my rationalization of sin?” Sometimes we choose things because we are trying to hide our hypocrisy (1 Peter 2:16). Choosing to volunteer to be seen by people instead of serving the needs of someone in private is one example of this. If your motive for choosing to do something that looks good on the outside is to hide what is on the inside, then doing so is not consistent with seeking to know God’s will (Galatians 5:13). He is not a fan of duplicity or hypocrisy (Matthew 6:1; Matthew 23:27-28).
The last question we will consider today is, “Will it prove Jesus is the Lord of my life?” Christians claim Jesus to be their Lord and Savior, but many would be happy to just have the Savior part without His Lordship. That’s not possible. God’s Word says salvation belongs to those who confess Him as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10). They are two sides of the same coin, unable to be separated. If Jesus is indeed your Lord, it will show in the fruit you produce (Luke 6:43-45; John 15:5-8). Someone is always watching what you do. Make sure your decision aligns with Jesus being your Lord and not with your selfish desires.
I am confident that those seeking to know God’s will with a genuine heart will find it. When your focus is on Him, you are being obedient to His Word, and surrendering to His Lordship, you can be confident you are in His will (Proverbs 3:5-6). God’s will is not a single moment or decision. It encompasses the entirety of your heart, mind, and life. It’s a way of thinking and living, not a formula to discover. We’ve got two more questions to cover to wrap up our study of walking in God’s will. Come back next time, and we’ll put it all together.