WILL OF GOD
The Bible reveals the general will of God to all mankind, such as “Thou shalt not steal” and “Thou shalt not covet,” and God’s specific will for your personal life by the principles that are found in the Bible. For example, we know from the Bible that it is God’s will for the vast majority of mankind to be married: “Marriage is honourable in all” (Hebrews 13:4), however, the Bible does not give the name of the person you are to marry. So we narrow it down by looking at the principles found in the Bible, such as, “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee” (Deuteronomy 5:16). Do you want things to go well in your marriage? Then it will start by marrying someone your parents agree with. Seek their counsel on this in advance of falling in love, or you will make your decision based on emotions, and not wise counsel or wisdom. The Bible also says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). Those who love God are to marry only others who love God. With just these two commandments, you have narrowed down the possibilities of who you are to marry to only a few. When I proposed to my wife, I had both of my parents’ permission and both of her parents’ permission. I did not ask her parents if I could marry their daughter, for as yet I had not talked to her about marriage. I only asked for their permission to talk to their daughter about marriage. I believed that if her parents were against us being married, then God was big enough to change their minds, and if God would not change their minds, then it was not God’s will. (Asking permission from the parents for their daughter’s hand in marriage will also take pressure off their daughter, for when young men will ask her about marriage, she can say, “Ask my dad.” And then her dad can say “No” to any he does not wish for his daughter.)
The following are some things that will help us determine the will of God for our life. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). It may be easy to fulfill the will of our friends, others, or ourselves, but we are taught “be not conformed to this world.” So, are the things that others want or you want, what God wants? We have to check with the Bible: “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Prayer will also help us: “Always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12; see also Romans 8:27 and 1 John 5:14).
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5–7). Also, we should each have at least three godly counselors we can ask advice from. “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs11:14).
The Bible reveals the general will of God to all mankind, such as “Thou shalt not steal” and “Thou shalt not covet,” and God’s specific will for your personal life by the principles that are found in the Bible. For example, we know from the Bible that it is God’s will for the vast majority of mankind to be married: “Marriage is honourable in all” (Hebrews 13:4), however, the Bible does not give the name of the person you are to marry. So we narrow it down by looking at the principles found in the Bible, such as, “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee” (Deuteronomy 5:16). Do you want things to go well in your marriage? Then it will start by marrying someone your parents agree with. Seek their counsel on this in advance of falling in love, or you will make your decision based on emotions, and not wise counsel or wisdom. The Bible also says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). Those who love God are to marry only others who love God. With just these two commandments, you have narrowed down the possibilities of who you are to marry to only a few. When I proposed to my wife, I had both of my parents’ permission and both of her parents’ permission. I did not ask her parents if I could marry their daughter, for as yet I had not talked to her about marriage. I only asked for their permission to talk to their daughter about marriage. I believed that if her parents were against us being married, then God was big enough to change their minds, and if God would not change their minds, then it was not God’s will. (Asking permission from the parents for their daughter’s hand in marriage will also take pressure off their daughter, for when young men will ask her about marriage, she can say, “Ask my dad.” And then her dad can say “No” to any he does not wish for his daughter.)
The following are some things that will help us determine the will of God for our life. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). It may be easy to fulfill the will of our friends, others, or ourselves, but we are taught “be not conformed to this world.” So, are the things that others want or you want, what God wants? We have to check with the Bible: “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Prayer will also help us: “Always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12; see also Romans 8:27 and 1 John 5:14).
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5–7). Also, we should each have at least three godly counselors we can ask advice from. “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs11:14).
