It’s safe to say that the questions I’m most frequently asked as a pastor involve the issue of God’s will. People often ask, “How do I know what the Lord wants me to do with my life?” Or, “When I have two options, how can I know which way the Father wants me to go?” I’ve also found that never are believers more concerned about God’s will than during times of waiting—when we desperately want to know what He’s up to and whether He’ll answer our prayers.

King David was able to endure through all his adversity because he understood that it was the Lord’s plan for him to be king of Israel (1 Sam.16:1-13). And Abraham was able to be patient because the Father had promised he’d have many descendants and become a great nation (Gen. 12:2). Though I’m sure the delays were extremely difficult for these two men, they could hold on to the Lord’s assurances about their eventual blessings. Unfortunately, the long intervals of anxious anticipation can be even more challenging when you’re not really sure where God’s taking you or what He’s planned for your life.

Perhaps the issue of God’s will has been heavy on your heart. You know His plans for you are good, but what are they? Do they really include the fulfillment of your dearest hopes and dreams? Is there any way you can be certain?

Friend, please be assured the Father wants you to know His will for your life. In fact, I wholeheartedly believe that if you genuinely desire to follow Him, He’ll move heaven and earth to show you His will. How can I say this for certain? Because in order for you to accomplish the good goals God’s designed for you to achieve, you must know what He’s called you to be and do (Eph. 2:10).

Think about it. If you had a son and you wanted him to help with the dishes, would you wait for him to figure out what to do on his own? Of course you wouldn’t. You’d teach your son how to properly wash dishes. Then you’d express your expectations about how often you’d like for him to do so. You’d direct him carefully. And if he forgot your instructions, you’d be sure to remind him.

The same is true for your heavenly Father. He prepares you to do His will, equips you to carry it out, then leads you in accomplishing it. It’d be completely out of character for God to hide His plan or refuse to help you achieve it. Instead, the Lord promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you” (Ps. 32:8). The Father wants you to make the right decision. So just like a Shepherd lovingly steers a lamb who’s prone to wandering, He trains you to listen to His voice, prods you, calls to you, protects you, and even disciplines you in order to lead you in the way you should go (John 10:2-4).

Not only will the Father guide you, but in Jeremiah 29:11, He assures: “I know the plans that I have for you … plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” In other words, you don’t have to be afraid that there’s only heartbreak ahead. God’s purposes for you will bring you contentment, satisfaction, and success. Though you’ll most likely face times of adversity—as we all do—you can be sure in those seasons that He’ll “cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). You can be especially confident in the waiting seasons of your life that God is leading you and engineering all circumstances for your ultimate benefit.

Study Further:

“Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.” But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” “Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.” So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?” “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too. When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.” “Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.” So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭16:1-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭32:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10:2-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭NLT‬‬