For the concluding part of this series on God’s will, we’ll learn a little more about God’s will and how to remain in it.
Sometimes, God tells us His will by giving us specific instructions. For some people, it may be to apply for a job in a particular company, to dress a certain way, or to carry out certain tasks. In such cases, complete obedience is essential. Doing more or less than instructed is equivalent to incomplete obedience.
God gave Saul an instruction regarding the Amalekites, to completely destroy everything in the land. Saul obeyed what God said but not completely. He spared some livestock and the life of King Agag. This “little” act of disobedience to God’s will ruined whatever little relationship he and God had, and it also put the Israelites in a place of suffering for years. (1 Sam. 15)
On the other extreme, we have Jehu. There is something my country people call “oversabi” and it basically means overstepping. When walking in God’s will, it is still possible to overstep and eventually walk out of His will for you. Take the story of Jehu for example. God gave him an instruction to be His weapon of justice upon the house of Ahab.
However, he did more than God asked of him. Jehu overstepped and killed some other people that he shouldn’t have killed. Even though those people were also somewhat guilty, God had not willed it for Jehu to deliver the necessary justice. He overstepped and left the center of God’s will for his life. Unfortunately, that didn’t end so well for him. (2 Kin. 9-10)
Disobedience to God’s will never yields good results.
How to remain in God’s will
Obedience. When God gives you an instruction, obey it as it is. Do not try to add to or remove from what He says. Understand the boundless wisdom of God and let this guide you into obedience. Once you begin to feel “smart” with God, you’re well on your way to disobedience and eventual exit of His will.
In given situations, God may reveal to you His will for that time, period, and place. However, there are some things that we don’t need to pray about before knowing what God would rather have us do. The scripture has already revealed His will to us.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV
One thing we are sure of is that God wants us to have a heart of gratitude, and to do that in all circumstances. With all the happenings in the world, it is easy for us to let resentment and dissatisfaction win. But it is God’s will for us to choose thanksgiving. Even through the trials, He tells us to count it as joy (Jam. 1:2). For believers, the period of hardship is only temporary and cannot be compared to the glory that will be revealed (Rom. 8:18-23).
For this is the will of God, your sanctification…
1Thessalonians 4:3a
Needless to say, it is God’s will that we stay away from sin. The salvation we have received through Christ is not just about the redemption of our souls but also about the sanctification of our whole being. We are called to live a life of purity and holiness, set apart for God’s purposes. It is God’s will that when people look at us, they see Jesus.
Moreover, we must make it a life mission to do good (1 Pet. 2:15). Anywhere Jesus went, He was doing good. As His representatives and replicas on earth, we have no other choice than to do the same–that is if we want to remain in His will.
It is God’s will that we dwell in love and extend His love to everyone around us. If we do not have love, we cannot claim to know God because God is love (1 Jn. 4:7-8). We can extend this love through kindness and compassion. Sharing the gospel is another way. The origin of the gospel is love and it can only be sustained by love. It is God’s will for us to go out and make disciples of men, letting them in on the truth and joys of salvation (Matt. 28:19-20).
Some situations may feel like standing at crossroads, how do we handle them? Here’s what Romans 12:2 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.
From this verse, we learn that the first step in discerning the will of God is transformation. We are in the world but not of the world. It takes constant mind renewal through the study of scripture to reach a level where we are certain of what God would have us do in any given situation.
Faith+blog 