Learning how to discover God’s will for your life is one of the most important steps towards spiritual maturity in Christ.
The best part is that any Christian, at any point in their Christian walk, can pursue this path, and the Lord will direct your journey.
I’ve been a follower of Christ for nearly 30 years. In all that time, I’ve had many instances where I felt lost, needed to pause, and ask the Lord for direction on His will for me. The key thing to remember is that God first wants our repentance—to turn away from sin and towards Jesus’ saving grace (Read the full “Got Questions” article here).
We all have a calling to pursue. But over the years, the number one thing that I’ve discovered is how simple it can be to discover God’s specific will for my own life. I’ve also been able to help others do the same.
Biblical Examples For Discovering God’s Will
Throughout the Bible we see many examples of people desiring and seeking to discover God’s will for them. Let’s get to know a few people whom I believe we can learn so much from.
These individuals are average people, just like you and me, whose number one desire is to bring glory, honor, and praise to the Lord. They’re primary goal in life is to serve God in everything that they do.
They have their struggles and they see a lot of sacrifice, loss, and growth throughout their lives. One of the biggest things that I found inspiring is learning how they each responded to God’s will for their lives.
God’s will for them wasn’t what they would’ve chosen, but because of their devotion to serving Him, they decided that nothing else mattered.
Why We Study Biblical Examples
As with any discipline, in order to understand the foundation of a concept, we have to visit the primary source of information which that discipline relies on.
For Christians, that source is the Bible.
We believe it to be the infallible, inspired Word of God. In other words, we believe that it is God’s Word, that it is alive, relevant, and transformative.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (NIV).
Additionally, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (NIV).
Without further adieu, let’s examine the Scriptures…
Ruth
Ruth is our first Biblical example. She was not a believer. In fact, she came from the land known to Biblical Scholars and God’s wash basin (the bowl in which people would wash their feet upon entering someone’s home, it was usually very dirty, and needed regular cleaning).
Ruth was just an average woman who’d been married to a Jewish man (joining his family per the customs). But when her husband and his brothers and father all died, Naomi, her mother-in-law, encouraged her to return to her family.
Naomi had no more sons who could marry Ruth and Naomi didn’t want Ruth to waste her life with an old woman. But Ruth refused. She was committed to her mother-in-law and with these powerful words, followed Naomi to what would become God’s will for Ruth’s life.
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.
May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. (Ruth 1:16-18, NIV)
Ruth was determined to support her mother-in-law despite all the objections. This commitment led to her discovering God’s will for her life. She would eventually marry the man whose mother was Rahab–a former prostitute from Jericho.
It was through all of this that Ruth would eventually become the great-grandmother to King David, joining the lineage of Jesus Christ.
Esther
Esther is our next Biblical example. She was a Jewish woman living in Persia after the fall of Babylon. The king of land banished his queen for her acts of rebellion and thus the king sought after a new queen.
He instituted an order to have all the young, unmarried women of his country brought to his palace. There they would be trained and educated in the duties of a queen. Esther, a Jewish woman, was also among these young women.
Later on, Esther is chosen as queen, after finding favor with the king. One night, her uncle, Mordecai, discovers a plot to assassinate the king. Queen Esther warns the king, giving credit to her uncle and the king has the plotters executed.
Also in the king’s court is a man, Haman, who is appointed the king’s second in command. He is a prideful man who rides around the province demanding to be worshiped by all.
On one such occasion, however, Mordecai is found unwilling to bow to Haman. Haman then decides that Mordecai should be killed and made an example for all to see.
Through his slimy, deceptive ways, Haman convinces the king to decree that all the Jews in the land are a threat to the king and should be dealt with accordingly.
This news shocks Esther and, on following her uncle’s orders, she begins the process of finding favor with the king. All with the hope that his love for her will be enough to cause him to change the decree.
The Point
Long story short, Esther didn’t choose to become queen. But because Israelites’ very existence would be threatened, God prepared the way for Esther to be used by Him to save His chosen people.
This Old Testament story is a reminder to all Christians that God will use anyone who is willing.
While not every situation in life is of life or death, it is important to note that we are all spiritually dead until we come to know Jesus. Esther risked her literal life to approach the king.
This was something that the queen could only do if she’d been invited by the king. However, she approached him without an invitation and he spared her life and subsequently the life of all the Jews.
Esther realized that God’s will for her life was to save her people (God’s people). Without her courage and willingness to be obedient, an entire nation would have been wiped out from existence.
And not just any nation, but the nation from where our Savior Jesus would later be born.
Paul
Our last Biblical example is from the New Testament. Paul used to be known as Saul. He was a self-proclaimed Christian killer (although believers were not called Christians yet). His goal was to rid the world of Christ-followers. But God had other plans.
On the road to Damascus, “a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’” (Acts 9:4, NIV).
Jesus spoke to Saul, gave him instructions on where to go, and to wait for further instructions. When Saul opened his eyes, he realized he was blind. He also wasn’t alone on this journey. The men with him had to lead him to his destination due to his new found blindness.
Meanwhile, a servant of the Lord named Ananias received a vision from God regarding Saul. Ananias questioned the Lord for a moment, but the Lord commanded Ananias concerning Saul and that was that.
You can read Paul’s full story in Acts 9. But the point of this Biblical example is that Saul didn’t plan to be used by God. He thought he was doing the right thing by persecuting Christians.
But God called out to him, corrected him, and called him. God used Saul’s passion for spreading a message of persecution to, instead, spread the message of the Gospel.
Saul became Paul and later went on to write at least 13 books of the New Testament, known as Paul’s letters.
God Uses Anyone Who’s Willing
These Biblical examples, and so many others, show us how God will use anyone who’s willing to be used. Any who desired to further the kingdom. Anyone who simply wants to live a life that is pleasing to God.
A few others that you can study on your own are:
- Joseph: was sold into slavery by his brothers, but God used him to later free the Israelites from Egyptian captivity. (Genesis 37-50)
- Daniel: with thousands of his fellow countrymen, was deported to a foreign land where he faced numerous attacks to his faith, but didn’t give into the temptation to give it all up. God blesses his faithfulness by allowing him to become one of the most trusted advisors to the king in that land. (The whole book)
- Mary (the mother of Jesus): while the Bible doesn’t dive deeply into her story, we know that she was 14-years-old when the Holy Spirit impregnated her with Jesus. She faced humiliation, familiar disgrace, and community shame. But God used her (and her future husband Joseph) to raise the incarnate Son of God. (Matthew 1:18-24)
How To Discover God’s Will For Your Life Today
Now that we’ve seen the Biblical examples for discovering God’s will, it’s time to learn how to apply this to our 21st century lives.
From the time of becoming a believer to the time of leaving this earth, we have many opportunities to grow, mature, and live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.
Over the years, we have seasons and we will inevitably struggle. But don’t lose heart. Even struggles of faith are met by God with grace and mercy.
Don’t be afraid to seek the Lord, especially in times of doubt, but also in times of certainty. This is how we cultivate that which sets Christianity apart from every other world religion—a relationship with our God.
Our God is approachable and relatable. Since Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we can come to our God in the privacy of our own homes.
We no longer need to follow rituals (although you can if you feel called to do so) in order to submit prayers and communion with the Lord.
Below, I’ve outlined a simple process for seeking the Lord in order to discover God’s will for your life.
Please keep in mind that this isn’t a formula that has to be followed. It is a guide to help you get started. An assistant for when you feel stuck.
Step 1) Pray Strategically
The first and most important step towards discovering God’s will is prayer. Developing a strong prayer practice is key for spiritual growth. Prayer is the strongest tool in the Christians toolbox. That’s why it’s so vital that you make prayer a priority in your life.
Prayer is simply talking to God the way you would talk to a close friend. You can share whatever is on your mind. Whatever is weighing you down. Anything that you want to tell someone, you can tell God in prayer.
Praying With Purpose
When you pray with the purpose of seeking to discover God’s will for your life, your prayers need to be strategic. I don’t mean some fancy formulated prayer. I simply mean that it’s important to define for yourself what you’re seeking.
You can do this by praying something like this:
Lord, I need wisdom and direction. All I want to do is bring your glory, honor, and praise.
Help me to discover your specific will for my life. How do you want me to use the time that you’ve blessed me with?
In what ways do you want me to use the gifts, talents, and skills you’ve blessed me with?
In what format, to whom, and where would you have me share the gifts you’ve given me?
All I want is to be used by you, for your Kingdom. Give me a clear vision, in Jesus name. Amen.
Sometimes praying strategically can look like that first sentence of asking for wisdom and direction. And sometimes, you’re going to want to break it down even further. This isn’t because God needs help with knowing what you need. On the contrary, it’s for your benefit.
Humans need specificity and clarity. We need to define things in order to better understand life. That’s why this specificity is so important for spiritual growth.
Discovering God’s will for your life isn’t about rubbing the genie’s bottle and making a wish. It’s about developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And discovering the timeless truth that is simply living for Jesus.
How we do this: by praying, studying the Bible, and communing with other believers.
That’s why praying strategically with purpose and even with passion is the first step towards discovering God’s will for your life. God knows your heart, but it’s key that you take the time to listen.
You do this by reading Scripture, praying, journaling (if you’d like), and then pausing and giving yourself the chance to listen to the Holy Spirit.
Remember that you may not receive the response you’re looking for right away or in the way you think.
The important thing to keep in mind is that God wants you to seek Him with all your heart.
That’s it.
Just be genuine.
And who better to be yourself with than your heavenly Father.
Step 2) Prepare Your Mindset
Now that you understand the important role of prayer. It’s time to prepare your mindset.
What do I mean by this? You need to mentally and emotionally prepare yourself for the answer that you will inevitably receive because you sought the Lord for it.
One thing you want to avoid doing is seeking the Lord for answers and then ignoring the answers that you receive simply because you either:
A) Weren’t listening ——— OR ——— B) Didn’t like the answer you got.
When you prepare your mindset for discovering God’s will, you’re setting realistic expectations within yourself.
Food For Thought:
Remember that the Bible gives all Christians the foundation for how to live a Godly life. The Bible already makes super clear what kind of behavior and lifestyle is expected of Christ followers.
- We have the Great Commission in Matthew 27:16-20.
- We are given specific instructions on what true love looks like in 1 Corinthians 13.
- We also receive clear direction on how Christians are supposed to behave, for example in Matthew 5-7 (known as the Sermon on the Mount).
Those are just the tip of the Scriptural iceberg. The Bible provides a huge library of instructions.
The point here is to use these Scriptures as the foundation of living a Godly life. Then, as you seek to discover God’s will for your life, you can begin putting the puzzle pieces together.
Your calling isn’t a mystery. But, sometimes, the way you’re supposed to live out your calling can feel like a bit of a mystery.
That’s why we have seasons in life. We get many opportunities to learn about our own likes, dislikes, interests, and passions.
The Lord has programmed you to experience these things. And it’s within those interests and passions that you will eventually discover the how of your calling to serve the Lord.
Step 3) Discover Your Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual gifts are talents that the Lord blesses each believer with. Some of those gifts are teaching, wisdom, mercy, faith, leadership to name a few. These are the things that seem to come naturally to you.
You might have been told all your life that you’re a born leader. Well, that can be a spiritual gift that God intends for you to use to further the Kingdom.
One of the most helpful steps you can take to discover God’s will for your life is to learn your spiritual gifts. The next step is to cultivate them. That means, you’ll want to pursue learning how to hone those gifts by developing the skills needed to use them strategically.
You may be a great speaker. Maybe you have the ability to command the attention of children. Maybe they find you oddly fascinating and are nearly always ready and willing to listen to you. You could have the teaching (please note that teaching is just towards children, this is just an example).
The point here is to figure out what your strengths are. Then learn to use them for glorifying the Lord.
Step 4) Use Your Gifts And Skills
Now for the part that many people are afraid to approach. It’s time to start strategically using your gifts and skills. If you feel called to be a writer, then you’ve probably been learning how to write. You’ve probably been taking classes, watching YouTube videos, and practicing writing various forms of writing to hone this skill.
Well, there does come a point when you have to start using this writing skill for God’s glory. Whether it be starting a blog like this one, writing novels that are clean and incorporate a sense of faith to both entertain and transform the reader. Maybe you’re meant to write devotionals or Bible studies.
The point is that if you love writing and you’ve been learning how to be a better writer, then it’s time to write for the King. Use that gift and those skills to bring Him glory.
Whatever it may be, if you love music, feel called to have your own business, love art, are passionate about educating people of any age, then you need to pursue the skills needed to be effective in those industries. Once you have acquired the foundational skills, it’s time to start using them.
It’s by using those skills and experimenting with the different ways to apply what you’ve learned that you can then narrow down even further the specific path that the Lord has designed for you.
Food For Thought:
Keep in mind that everything you do on your journey is also part of God’s plan for you to become the person He has designed for you to be. Every step on this journey is part of the process of equipping you for every next step.
Whatever you had to deal with at your current job or in your current position is preparing you for something to come.
The way you handle criticism, process hardship, and walk through trauma is all part of you becoming more and more equipped for another season of life.
Remember that you never know how your experiences are going to be relevant and helpful to someone else. What you’ve been through is all part of your calling.
The way you use your experiences is also part of living within God’s will for your life.
Step 5) The Pursuit of Purpose
We all want a purpose-filled life. That’s why Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life has sold over 30 million copies. We need purpose. Whether we want to admit it or not, we all need something more than ourselves to live for. For some, it’s their family. Others, it’s their career.
For the Christian, it needs to be Jesus. But that’s easier said than done.
So how do we as Christians learn to live a purpose-filled life in Christ? The short answer:
- Study the Bible
- Pray
- Seek God’s will daily (which this article has hopefully taught you how to do)
- Live each day with the number one goal of bringing glory, honor, and praise to our heavenly Father.
In 1 Corinthians 10:31, we are reminded, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (NIV). In other words, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing, make sure that even in the tiniest mundane things, that you do it in a way that brings God glory.
This usually starts with your mindset and your attitude towards whatever it is that you’re doing. If it’s laundry, do it as an act of worship and gratitude to the Lord that you have clothes to wash. When there are many others who have nothing to wash or no capacity to do laundry.
Closing Thoughts
Everyone needs purpose. As Christians, discovering God’s will for your life is how we pursue our purpose to bring God glory. The beauty of this pursuit is that we’re not in it alone.
The Lord is right here with us, leading, guiding, directing. He wants us to pursue Him and His plans for us. Our Heavenly Father blesses those who pursue Him with all their heart.
He answers and shows up at the exact moment when we need Him, but we have to be ready and willing to receive and respond to Him.
Don’t give up on your pursuit for purpose. Don’t ever stop seeking to discover God’s will for your life. It is on this journey that we discover, learn, and grow—becoming who the Lord has designed for us to be.
I hope you found this article helpful. If you did or if you have any questions, drop all your thoughts in the comments below. I’d love to start an uplifting conversation with you!
