Barriers to Knowing God's Will

Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do” (Ephesians 5:17 NLT).

Every day I talk to people who say, “If there is a God . . . and he allowed me to be born . . . and I’m still alive . . . what is his plan for me?”

“Why am I here and what am I supposed to be doing? How do I find out God’s will for me so I don’t waste my life?”

The Bible says this: “So be careful how you live. Don't live like ignorant people, but like wise people. Make good use of every opportunity you have, because these are evil days. Don’t be fools, then, but try to find out what the Lord wants you to do” (Ephesians 5:15–17 TEV).

It’s wise to figure out why you were put on earth. It’s stupid to go through life without a clue. Fortunately, God doesn’t play games with us. He wants us to understand his will for our lives. When we look toward the wrong things, we create barriers to discovering God’s will. For instance:

• God’s will is not about a feeling. God’s plan for your life is not an emotional sensation you get through some esoteric experience. God’s plan for your life is practical, not mystical. Some people think you have to sit in a lotus position and chant “om” to make contact with God. But it isn’t that complicated. Besides, feelings are highly unreliable. They come from a variety of sources, including that bad burrito you ate last night.

• God’s will is not about a formula. God’s will is not some step-by-step procedure that you rigidly follow through life. While the mystics among us are always looking for a feeling, the pragmatists look for a formula, a recipe for life that they can follow without thinking. They love books like 27 Easy Steps to a Perfect Life. The problem is every book has a different formula and they often contradict each other. Life just isn’t that simple! You need more than a formula.

Here’s the key: God’s will for your life begins with a friendship. God is far more interested in having you establish a relationship with him than he is interested in having you follow a set of rules.

First and foremost, God wants you to get to know him, like he already knows you. Once this relationship is established everything else—career, family, goals, recreation, ambitions, finances, health and friendships—will begin to fall into their proper place.

Regardless of the circumstances of your birth, you are not an accident. God does have a plan for you life and he wants you to not only know it, but to succeed at it!

Rick Warren