Living Within God's Will

By Charles F. Stanley
Bible Study: The Unreasonable Will Of God
Sermon: The Unreasonable Will Of God

With so many economic and political changes taking place in our world today, people everywhere are asking, “How do I find God’s will for my life?” Businessmen who have relied on their company’s loyalty for decades are suddenly out of work. They wonder how to support their families. College graduates who had planned to enter a career are finding that it’s almost impossible to get work. People are losing their homes. And in the midst of it all, they are losing their sense of direction.

How does a CEO start over again? And how does a single mother find a new home for her family? Why would God let such things happen, and what does He intend for us to do about them?

It’s important to know that the Lord has a plan for each of our lives. And when we operate within the boundaries He sets forth, we soon discover His will for the circumstances we face. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God’s plan includes the future—He sees the big picture when we can’t.

We need to realize that God’s will isn’t something to fear. It’s meant to give us clarity of purpose and power to lead a blessed life. His will provides us with direction at every turn and answers important questions. In an age where even our cars can get real-time, turn-by-turn directions from satellites, it’s hard to understand why some people resist the flawless guidance that comes from our loving, omniscient Father.

God’s will is active in our daily life. What interests us interests Him, no matter how trivial. The Lord wants to work in us, and He will send blessings if we choose to follow Him. It is impossible to get less than the best when we do things His way. But living within God’s boundaries requires something from each of us. We must yield our lives through personal surrender to Jesus Christ. Many people receive Jesus as Savior but avoid making Him Lord over all of life.

Faced with certain death, Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). The surrender of Christ is our standard. By submitting to God, you wisely give up the responsibility of figuring out your own direction in life. Instead, you decide to live the way He has chosen. Through your willingness to follow, the Father will begin to change your habits and attitudes.

The Lord takes the good and bad of a believer’s life, and weaves it all together to form a beautiful mosaic (Rom. 8:28). Some people can’t imagine how God could possibly bring good out of their situation. But He does, and He wants to do the same for you. Don’t delay—turn to Him now and discover the blessings that come from obedience to the Father.