Julie Neidlinger nails it again in talking about people searching for God’s will for their lives.
A marked memory I had of my one year in Bible college was that of people frantically trying to find the will of God. It came out in all sorts of heartfelt and religious prayers and confessions, and ended in two ways:
1. Misery.
2. God telling all the guys to date and then marry the gorgeous girls. (”God told me I was to marry you.”)…..
Or, if this is not the answer you want, try this: The will of God is that you stop freaking out about you and live and love and sacrifice in your own life as you were told to. It is less about external circumstances as it is about him changing you.
emphasis added.
go read the whole thing.
The point she makes in the second bit clipped above is the key. The key to God’s will is to do what what we have been told to do. We have this wonderful book that He inspired men to write. Most of us have several copies in several sizes and versions.
Let’s pick one of those up and read it. In it we see all kinds of unambiguous commands from God regarding the manner in which we ought to live right now.
In whatever job we work, whoever our spouse is or isn’t, in whatever city we live, we are to live as children of light and have nothing to do with deeds of darkness that we once walked in.
Let’s just start here in Ephesians 5. once we get this list completed, we should read some more of chapter 5 and do what it says about loving and submitting to our wives and husbands. then we can try out chapter 6, its a doozy. that bit about putting on the belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness and other stuff so that we can stand against the wiles of the devil is awesome, but how do we do that? what does it mean to have feet that are shoed in the preparation of the Gospel? then we can read and do the stuff in Philippians, Colossians, I and II Thessalonians, etc. etc. I promise you, that is God’s will for our lives.
Walk in Love
1(A) Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2And(B) walk in love,(C) as Christ loved us and(D) gave himself up for us, a(E)fragrant(F) offering and sacrifice to God.
3But(G) sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness(H) must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4Let there be(I) no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking,(J) which are out of place, but instead(K) let there be thanksgiving. 5For you may be sure of this, that(L) everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ((M) that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6(N) Let no one(O) deceive you with empty words, for because of these things(P) the wrath of God comes upon(Q) the sons of disobedience. 7Therefore(R) do not become partners with them; 8for(S) at one time you were(T) darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.(U) Walk as children of light 9(for(V) the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10and(W) try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11(X) Take no part in the(Y) unfruitful(Z) works of darkness, but instead(AA) expose them. 12For(AB) it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13But when(AC) anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
(AD) “Awake, O sleeper,
and(AE) arise from the dead,
and(AF) Christ will shine on you.”15(AG) Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16(AH) making the best use of the time, because(AI) the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what(AJ) the will of the Lord is. 18And(AK) do not get drunk with wine, for that is(AL) debauchery, but(AM) be filled with the Spirit,19addressing one another in(AN) psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20(AO) giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father(AP) in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21(AQ) submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
emphasis added.
Really, when you think about it, the hard part of God’s will isn’t finding it out. The hard part is doing it. Thank God, that in His grace, He gives us the power to do just that.
3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him(A) who called us to[a]his own glory and excellence,[b] 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become(B) partakers of the divine nature,(C) having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith(D) with virtue,[c] and virtue(E) with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control(F) with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7and godliness(G) with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection(H) with love. 8For if these qualities[d] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or(I)unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he(J) is blind, having forgotten that he was(K) cleansed from his former sins. 10Therefore, brothers,[e] be all the more diligent to make your calling and(L)election sure, for if you practice these qualities(M) you will never fall. 11For in this way there will be richly provided for you(N) an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.