A weekly devotional by Reverend Dr. Kevin Schwamb

Ask five Christian’s what God’s will is and you will probably get ten different answers! Is discovering and following the will of God as mysterious and difficult as we make it out to be? Part of the problem lies in our failure to make a distinction between the secret will and the revealed will of God. In Deuteronomy (29:29) we read that “The secret things belong to the LORD our God…” This delineates an aspect of God’s will that is hidden and off limits to finite creatures. Therefore God’s secret will calls us to walk by faith, and not sight, because these plans and details are known only to Him.

But the Bible also refers to a second dimension of God’s will one that we are to seek after, His revealed will. In the scriptures God has clearly made known what He expects from us as His children. Paul in writing to the church in Thessalonica (1 Thess.4:3) boldly asserts, “This is the will of God…” and follows it with specific moral and ethical instructions. The word translated “will” points to God’s purpose and pleasure.

So if you are having difficulty discerning the will of God, make sure you are not asking for something God has never promised to give you. Instead pursue walking in obedience to what God has revealed and has made known. Kevin DeYoung writes in his book, Just Do Something, “God is not a magic 8-ball we shake up and peer into whenever we have a decision to make. He is a good God who gives us brains, shows us the way of obedience, and invites us to take risks for Him.”

Now go and do God’s will!