Right now, my life is in transition. My husband and I are preparing to have our first baby, and I am in the process of finishing up a PhD program. Prior to finding out I was pregnant, I was also on the job market, which opened up my eyes to many possibilities, like jobs I could do and places me and my family could live.
With these exciting changes, it has been difficult not to have so many questions about where I will end up, whether I will be happy there, or whether it is God’s will for me. My prayer has shifted to asking God for clarity on whether I am making the correct choices, according to what God wants for me. I think this is what normally people think about or do when they question God’s will for them.
There is nothing wrong with this. It is crucial to include God in your life choices. In fact, do this all the time! However, I think that sometimes questioning God’s will seems more about catering it to us as individuals, when there are additional (and better, in my opinion) ways to understand God’s will for (all of) us. Let me explain by using Luke 6:27-38:
Jesus said to his disciples:
“To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”
Based on this passage, how do you do God’s will? You:
- Love your enemies
- Do good to those who hate you
- Bless those who curse you
- Pray for those who mistreat you
- Offer the other cheek to the person who strikes you on the other
- Do not withhold your tunic from the person who takes your cloak
- Give to everyone who asks of you
- Do not demand back from the one who takes from you
- Do to others as you would have them do to you
- Lend expecting nothing back
- Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful
- Stop judging
- Stop condemning
- Forgive
- Give
I know that this may not answer specific prayers like whether or not a job you are applying for is the one God wants for you, but scripture gives us a clear, abundant, and grounded plan for how to do God’s will, which not only affects us but especially other people. Put simply, doing God’s will is not always just about us.
Doing God’s will is most importantly about how we live with and treat others. After reading Luke 6: 27-38 and creating a bulleted list like I share here, I feel more at peace knowing that God’s plan is clear. I will continue praying about my future and for clear guidance, but I will also continue going to scripture to see what else God wants me—and all of us—to do.
I challenge you to do what I did with other passages of the Bible, especially those where Jesus is speaking to His disciples because He clearly tells us the will of the Father, which we should give Him praise and glory for!
Amen! Thank you for reminding us Gods will is found in His Word. He tells us the more we seek Him the more we find Him. If we stand at the door and knock He will open it. To those who are given much more will be given. I believe we hear more clearly and understand more fully when we spend more time with Him. More time in His word and more time in prayer talking and listening to Him. He is communicating with us all the time.
Hallelujah!