“This is God’s will for you.” 1Th 5:18 NIV
Pray that you may know God’s will. Strive to live in an attitude of prayer. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will” (vv. 16-18 NIV). Rejoicing, praying continually, and giving thanks puts you in the active hub of God’s will. If you only pray when you’re desperate for answers, your receptors will be rusty and your impressions nebulous at best. Regular communication with God sharpens your senses and fine-tunes your ability to distinguish His voice from all the rest. “Teach me to do your will… my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground” (Ps 143:10 NIV). Seek God, and He will smooth the path for you.
Receive the counsel of others for confirmation, not necessarily direction. Paul said, “When God…called me…I did not consult any man” (Gal 1:15-16 NIV). Only embrace other people’s advice when it agrees with God’s Word and the Spirit’s promptings. Friends can be a source of confirmation, but not necessarily revelation. Even your own experiences and impressions aren’t enough to discern God’s will unless they line up with His Word. Peter did this on Christ’s transfiguration. “We were there on the holy mountain with him …We couldn’t be more sure of what we saw and heard…The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You’ll do well to keep focusing on it. It’s the one light you have in a dark time” (2Pe 1:18-19 TM). Paul’s converts at Berea received his teachings enthusiastically, but they also checked them against the written Word of God (See Ac 17:11). That’s always a good policy.
