In ministry, one gets used to being asked the same questions over and over. People all over the world have similar wanderings, dreams, fears and concerns when it comes to walking with God. But there is one question that I’m asked more than any other: what is the will of God? What is God saying about this? I don’t know what God wants me to do. These are questions that seem to roll around the minds of countless Christians.
The answer to that question is very simple: God always wants us to move forward. It’s natural to pray and commit things to him; This is an important part of our relationship with him. Yet we must learn how he says yes, no, or wait.
These are relational issues. Guidance is the byproduct of a right relationship with God, assuming that we are learning the lessons of abiding, which are: to stand, be still, and remain, consciously indwelling and being a partaker of Christ within. A simple turning and yielding of our hearts throughout the day. Remaining joyful, thankful. Seeing all of life through the eyes of God’s goodness. Basking in his love, living every day under his smile. A much-loved child learning to become a confident, more mature son.
Relationship is the key to knowing God’s will.
In the will of God, a right relationship is the key to moving forward. Everything in Christ is yes and Amen-2 Corinthians 1: 20. Therefore, the Lord does not have to speak all the time about everything. The will of God is first relational. As we abide, we become sensitive to his heart. He loves confidence.
We move forward, we always have a green light-everything is yes! The father takes responsibility for the light turning amber, wait; Or red, meaning stop. Yes, no, and wait are the main directives. Yes, is always priority.
Go until you hear no! There is no inertia in the spirit. We are subjects of his great love; Therefore, we make ourselves vulnerable to his goodness.
In relationship we become sensitized to the nature of God. It helps if we live in aw, wonder and astonishment. These are the beautiful attributes of beloved children. The nature of God is our most compelling adventure. His heart is a land, worthy of exploration.
I love my story in God. In the hardest chapters I have seen beauty and extreme loving kindness. I have been to hell and prospered because he held my hand. I have lost everything and thrived. I have been in the valley of the shadow of death and lost all fear. I’ve been on the mountain, bathed in a light so strong I thought I would dissolve in happiness.
In the depths of humiliation and embarrassment, crushed by my own inadequacy and stupidity, he mined grace for me at a depth I hardly knew existed. Grace purified me by restoring me to holiness and leaving me awestruck with gratitude. In all those encounters, everything has been relational. It is the ongoing purpose of the Godhead. Relationships are the business of heaven on earth; that we love one another as he has loved us.
The matter, therefore, of how much we are loved, is most vital. What if every day, every circumstance was cleverly designed to show us another glimpse of the father’s heart? Abiding empowers us to see. We always behold what we most look for in life.
Everything the father does is relational first. Every application of his will and purpose is to make us in his image. We are learning how to grow up into all things in Christ.
Sometimes, God will say yes by not saying anything at all. He simply allows us to move forward. On other occasions, things are confirmed or witnessed by other people. Once in a while, we get a prophetic word; we may not have been looking for one, but it confirms what we’re doing. I’ve had many emails and phone calls from people who tell me that word was for me. It will be God confirming his will for the person. Many times, I wasn’t seeking confirmation, but God was gracious enough to break in and let me know that I was doing OK.
God is a master at letting us know what his will is. We need to be aware of the times when he takes away our peace or allows us to be confused or uncertain. Perhaps we are sensing that this is not the right time to proceed. Maybe God wants something for us eventually, but not immediately. We need to be further prepared.
There is no inertia in the spirit.
God absolutely loves us, and has ways of communicating these things to us. He will never let us walk in darkness. When we give ourselves to a full relationship with him, this will becomes crystal clear. We never have to ask for a word of guidance again. Instead, it will flow to us out of the largeness of this love for us.
My people know my voice, God promised. We serve a God who is dedicated to seeing us get things right. In return, he wants us to be dedicated to seeking his face. He wants us to live in the sheer pleasure of waiting on him. To ensure that we feel the delight of being in his presence, he has given us the Holy Spirit as an inheritance. We can be assured that God will always show up and talk to us. We can rely on him, living in his rest and peace and adoring his nature. We can be overwhelmed by our own insignificance and marvel at his greatness. We can be humbled by our weakness and captivated by his strength. We can live with an understanding of how small we are, and be fascinated by the grace, sovereignty, power and majesty of the God we serve. Our present smallness cannot prevent us from entering the fullness of God-this is his will for us.