What kind of car should I buy? Is she Mrs. Right? What is my spiritual gift? Has God called me into missions? Seeking God's mind on the surface seems to be a godly pursuit, yet it paints a wrong picture of our relationship with Him.
Somewhere among the stars sits an Almighty Eternal God. He holds a detailed, perfect blueprint of our life from the moment we are born, until the day we die. He is watching every move that we make. The name of the game is to try to come as close as we can to that mysterious, elusive blueprint. There are a number of techniques that are commonly used in trying to discover God's will. Close your eyes, open the bible and stick a finger on your destiny. Or a Gideon’s fleece, if she wears a red dress tonight, I'll ask her to marry me. Maybe feel a vibe or the big one, God's voice. The Pastor should help; surely they must know the will of God? God can resort to these means to speak to us, but there is a better way.
A renewed mind has the capacity to test and approve God's will. (Rom. 12: 1, 2) You will have God-like thoughts, full of wisdom and understanding. And there will be a confidence in making decisions.
Christians ought to be strong, decisive people. Instead of seeking God's will, pray for wisdom to walk in His will. Your ideas will be innovative, fresh and full of imagination, pleasing to God. The sovereignty of God does not reduce us to actors in a cosmic film strip. We have been created to be like God with ideas, imagination and the ability to make decisions.
It is a proud moment for parents, when their young child presents them with their first creation. A beautiful little masterpiece with crayon, glue and scissors. When done, she exclaims with a sweet angelic voice, close your eyes, no peeking, and presents her gift. Her parents are delighted, warmed by the love expressed in her effort. How disappointing it would be for the parents if their child ran out of the room every five minutes asking what color crayon to use or what shape to make the petal of her flower—incapable of making the simplest decisions on her own. I'm sure they would feel a sense of failure in developing her young mind and cultivating decisive creativity.
Seeking the will of God is a sign of spiritual immaturity. Knowing His will and walking in it with confidence is an indication of a mind that has been renewed by His Word. You will be able to approve His good and perfect will. You will be able to delight and surprise your heavenly Father with beautiful gifts that are colored by the uniqueness of your own personality. Religion must get boring to God, let's be ourselves—in Him!
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:1). It is able to reshape the mind so that God is able to communicate with us. Its living words force Satan to flee. When becoming the focus of our faith, it murders the sinful nature. In a world of confusing signals and messages, it is a clear voice of direction. The Bible, in the hand of a man or women of God, is worn and dog–eared from many thousands of hours in study.
Make it your life’s ambition to know His Word. Many Christians know every player in their favorite and not-so-favorite major league ball team—yet barely know how to find a book in the Old Testament and wonder why they are not fully experiencing the Spirit Life. Ridiculous! There is no just add water freedom!
Make God's Word your hobby, your favorite pastime. It may feel like work, at first. But you will develop an appetite for truth. You'll have bibles everywhere, in your lunch box, glove compartment, and when you exercise you’ll listen to bible teaching tapes. You just won't be able to get enough. And as your understanding develops, you will find it quicker and easier to interpret those precious realities. It is like learning another language.
The Word of God is useless unless we get it into everyday thinking, not just Sunday morning. Damage control is not the answer, barely hanging onto our integrity before a smorgasbord of tasty sin. Going from one spiritual crisis to another is not walking in the Spirit. We need to be prepared, meditating in the Word day and night. A tree established, rooted in truth, so when the storms of temptation come—unshakable.
Related Article: Making Powerful Decisions