1. Be in relationship with God. This is the only context by which God's Spirit directs you beyond a move to toward repentance. If you are not in a right relationship with God, then that IS God's will for you at that time (2 Peter 3:9) Nothing else really matters if you are not where you should be spiritually. I am frequently consulted, as a pastor, on what God wants of someone's life and I first refer them to this context. No other decision in life matters if you have not first made a decision to follow Jesus as a disciple!
2. Be sanctified wholly! There are at least two specific areas in Scripture about what God's Will is for our lives. One of them (listed above) is about repentance and beginning our relationship with God. The other one, found in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, is about sanctification. Entire Sanctification "is wrought by the baptism with or infilling of the Holy Spirit, and comprehends in one experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the abiding, indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering the believer for life and service. Entire sanctification is provided by the blood of Jesus, is wrought instantaneously by grace through faith, preceded by entire consecration; and to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness." (from Article of Faith X of the Church of the Nazarene) This is essential!
3. Throw out a lot of things you might have heard and even come to believe that are not Biblical in nature. For example, there are some who believe that God's will would never involve suffering or hardship or anything difficult like sickness. That simply is not true. It is actually a derivative of the "prosperity Gospel" that is popular among many tele-evangelists. God's Will is not always the easiest thing, the most convenient thing, or even that thing which would appear most beneficial to our material possession, bank account, or even physical health. The truth is, sometimes, God's will is just hard, but it sure is worth it!
4. Eliminate distractions. There are always plenty of voices giving advice and plenty of things to distract (social media, entertainment, and a general sense of being busy). It's hard to learn, but to really hear from God we need to learn to be quiet before him for longer than 30 seconds! Turn your phone off, turn the music off, turn the computer off, turn the television off and just abide with Him. In the stillness of those moments your spiritual ears may pick up on His voice.
5. God's Will never contradicts His written Word. The Bible is authoritative when it comes to God's Will. It is a revelation given to humanity that cannot be re-written, revised, or changed. It's not a buffet, it's the main course. A lot of the options for a choice you have to make are easily eliminated with some knowledge of the Word of God.
6. Never use the "open door" policy. I hear lots of people talk about God's will being the first option to open up. Sometimes you might need to sit tight and be patient. Jumping at the first 'open door' can be a recipe for disaster. Just don't do it.
7. Remember that the Shepherd does speak and his sheep know His voice (John 10:1-5). It might take some patience and some fasting won't hurt, but it will come. Don't panic. Don't make a choice out of fear. Don't rush. Just wait to hear the voice of the Shepherd. He does speak.
8. Evaluate your past record of discerning God's will for your life. What has the fruit of your life been? Has God been glorified in your past decisions? If past choices have the aroma of self-interest, self-promotion, or self-centered tendencies then you might want to renegotiate your discernment. A pattern of wrong choices may lead to some poor discernment that needs to be dealt with.
9. Turn off ungodly council. There are a host of warnings in Proverbs about listening to the advice of the ungodly. Just don't do it. The ungodly don't wear name tags but you will find them walking on the broad path. Use caution in listening to their council as their priorities, values, and goals will be different from those of a Christian. Your source of wisdom can derail your path.
10. Be aware that the authentic believer can not go wrong. You might choose the wrong food item off a menu, the wrong ministry idea, or an outfit that doesn't match, but you won't miss the big thing God is doing in your life. You will not miss Heaven if you are seeking Jesus with all your heart! We simply do not serve a God who tempts us with a 'carrot on a stick.'
There's growing skepticism among some that God still directs His people. That's because, in our "microwave" society discerning God's Will may take more than watch a 5 minute YouTube video or reading a 7 minute blog. It's going to take time with the Savior to learn His desires for you.
What might you add/subtract from my thoughts?
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