Discovering God's Will
Scripture
Proverbs 3:5-7
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heartAnd do not lean on your own understanding.6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He will make your paths straight.7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.The most important question a Christian ever asks is, “What is God’s will for my life?” “What does God want me to do?” “What is the next step?” One of the most beloved Scriptures in the entire Bible is Proverbs 3:5-6. A Proverbs is a saying that when applied brings success. This has been called a short course in knowing God’s will. God has a unique and special plan for every believer.The process of discovering His will can be both exciting and challenging. Most of God’s will for your life is found in God’s Word. The principles found in these verses helps you in discovering specifically what God wants you to do. You have a future, but only God knows exactly what that is. It is important to understand that God often reveals His will one step at a time, not all at once. An analogy is a floodlight verses a pen light. Discovering God’s will is more like a penlight where you are given light for the next step, rather than a floodlight giving you all the information at once. You must make certain that your eternal future is secure. You do that by receiving Jesus Christ into your life as your Savior and Lord. Knowing heaven is your future brings great joy. God’s plan for your future is the best possible life you can live, bringing you holiness and happiness.Notice some specific steps in discovering His will:I. ChoiceChoose to turn your future over to God. Choose His Word, His way and His will. The first choice is to receive Jesus Christ by faith into your life as your Savior and Lord. That choice places the Holy Spirit within you and the Spirit gives you direction.II. Commit“Trust in the Lord” (3:5). Trust God with your future. Trust means to rest your full weight upon. Commit literally means to “roll over.” Roll over every plan, problem and circumstance to God.III. Completely“With all your heart” (3:5). This means wholehearted devotion to God; your all—body, soul, and spirit. You sell out to God.IV. Caution“And do not lean on your own understanding” (3:5). Don’t put your trust in your feelings or even in people. Don’t trust your experiences alone. Instead, you rely upon God and you look through the lens of Scripture to evaluate everything.V. Confess“In all your ways acknowledge Him…” (3:6). All your ways and means in every area of your life. Acknowledging God speaks of experiencing God in every area of your life, everywhere you go and whatever you do. You include God in your every decision. God is not a Sunday compartment. He must infiltrate every decision your make. Never be ashamed of Jesus Christ. Always recognize Him being at work in your life.VI. ComeProverbs 3:77 Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the Lord and turn away from evil,Fearing God means that you reverence God and place Him above anyone or anything else; desiring first to please Him. Approach God in a reverential way as you worship and honor Him.VII. Circumstances“And He will make your paths straight…” (3:6b). This is a promise from God. When you follow God’s plan God will remove the obstacles to walking in His will. The picture is that of an impassible road that God clears away so you can get to where you are going.