God’s Will for You

Many ask the question, “what is God’s will for my life?” I wonder if we really want to know his answer. We seek the answer because we want to know whether God’s will accords with our will for our lives.

What will I do if I am displeased with his answer, as Peter was, when our LORD made known his course (John 21:21)? Will I compare myself with others, as Peter did with the apostle, as if I receive my course based on merit? “What is that to you?” (John 21:22), and in this we discover our standing before him.

In truth, I often aim to serve myself. And yet, I also aim to serve the LORD. But how will this be? It seems that I cannot stop seeking my own desires and pleasure. And thus, I seemingly serve two masters. But this cannot be. Yet, I cannot rid myself of the desire for fulfillment and satisfaction. So, then, I conclude that I must satisfy these desires in my other name. Therefore, I can only accomplish both so long as I desire nothing more than to submit myself to whatever he asks of me. In that, I will find my greatest desires fulfilled.

In our selfishness, we reveal a lack of understanding with Jesus’ call to “take up [your] cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). To submit to the LORD, we must keep ourselves from submission to all else. Will I allow the Master to master me? Paul can only say, “I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12) because he has been mastered by the Master. In this we find the answer to our question. What is God’s will for my life? It is what he wishes to accomplish in and through me, and whatever it takes to conform me into the image of his son Jesus Christ.