In a world full of distractions, decisions, and constant noise, it can feel nearly impossible to know what God wants for our lives. Yet, He has not left us without guidance. By learning to listen, to be still, and to seek Him daily through Scripture and prayer, we can begin to recognize His voice and follow His will with confidence, discerning God’s will in both big decisions as well as everyday life.
How to Recognize God’s Will
How do we, as mere humans, discern the will of the Almighty God for our lives? How can we be sure that we are obeying the Lord’s direction and honoring Him in our life decisions? This can seem like a stressful and sometimes impossible thing to do, especially in a world as busy and noisy as the one we live in. However, the Lord has not given us a command to obey Him without giving us ways to know His will. Romans 12:2 (ESV) says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Understanding God’s Will Through Scripture
We frequently try to seek the will of God with big decisions, like what job to get, where to move, or where to go to school. But discerning God’s will is so much more than making the right decisions. God is all about relationship, and it should be from our relationship with Him that all else stems. This means that to know His will, we must know His heart, and to know His heart, we must know His Word. As Romans says, we should not conform to the world but renew our minds. When we learn to do this, we will grow in discerning God’s will and be able to follow the Lord’s direction.
The main way we renew our minds is by spending time in Scripture. This not only strengthens our relationship with the Father, but it is also the way the Lord speaks to us and teaches us to know His voice. Romans suggests that we test things, and we do that by seeing if it aligns with the Word of God. If something goes against Scripture, then we know automatically that it is not from the Lord. Hebrews 4:12 says that His Word is alive and active, and Timothy states that it is God-breathed, which means it is directly from God. Whether it be a general lesson or the answer to a specific circumstance, the Lord uses His Word to show us His will.
Hearing God’s Voice in the Quiet
God speaks through His Word, but Scripture also mentions Him using whispers. I Kings 19:12 tells us that the Lord was in the still, small voice. One of the ways we renew our minds is through prayer and learning to recognize His voice. How much of our conversations with our Heavenly Father are spent with us talking? How much are we actually listening to what He wants to say to us? In John 10:27, Jesus says, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me” (ESV).
This is one of the reasons that learning to listen, to be silent and free of distractions is so important when it comes to discerning God’s will. Are we listening for daily instructions and learning to become familiar with His voice, or are we waiting for when we want help with major decisions? Are we building an active relationship with the Father daily, or has He become someone we come to only when we want something?
Growing in Discernment Over Time
Learning to discern the will of God is not an immediate thing, but something that grows over time. It requires us to turn away from the things of this world, to participate in things that renew our minds, and to test everything with Scripture. In order for us to know how to discern the Lord’s will, we must daily build a foundation by spending time with Him and trusting and obeying Him in the little things.
When we learn to discern His will in the little things, it becomes easier to know His plan for the bigger decisions. As Romans says, God’s plan is good and pleasing and acceptable. Are we living our lives doing things that are good, pleasing, and acceptable? Things such as:
- loving our neighbors
- having pure thoughts
- giving generously
- loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength
These are things that align directly with Scripture, things that are within the will of God. These are all building blocks to the foundation of our relationship with the Lord. Through doing these disciplines and growing in our faith, we become more familiar with His voice and better at discerning God’s will more easily.
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