All Christians must learn to submit to God
Full submission isn’t the same as being completely sin-free (1 John 1:8).
God gives us a season of distance to make us grow through submission:
- This journey is a spiritual rite of passage (Exodus, Matthew 4:1-10).
- God designed that hardship to provoke us to better spiritual exercises (2 Corinthians 4:7-10).
- Some believers presume all life with Christ is this wilderness, while others imagine that it simply never happens.
There are some clear signs we haven’t submitted:
- Defining the future with past and current events
- Failing to take personal responsibility
- Desiring an easier or more enjoyable life
- Excessive complaining or negativity
- Compulsions for instant gratification
- Self-pity, self-loathing, or strong sense of worthlessness
- Enviousness and jealousy
- Unwilling to try alternative or unconventional methods
An entirely submissive Christian wants to do anything God wants:
- Authentic expression of faith through worship and devotion to God
- Very little concern for circumstances they can’t control
- Willing to sacrifice anything for others’ benefit
- A strong focus on God’s desires over personal goals or others’ desires
God doesn’t usually provide details about His will
We seek God’s will for a few key reasons:
- Anxiety or fear of perceived consequences (Philippians 4:6-7).
- Fear that we’ll be held responsible for our choices (Galatians 6:7-8).
- Our desires are split between personal fulfillment and following God (Revelation 3:16).
- We sincerely desire to please Him (i.e., “The Lord is leading” instead of “God told me to”).
God only directs people for a few reasons:
- To build our character and holiness.
- To help us submit and adapt to God’s kingdom.
- To help us make wise decisions.
Depending on the use of the word “will”, He technically has three of them:
- The unchanging reality He built before time began (the Father’s viewpoint).
- His desired wish of what humanity’s choices will be (Jesus’ viewpoint).
- His directions, which aren’t technically “wrong” or “right” in a moral sense (the Holy Spirit’s viewpoint).
- This last one is the primary cause of most Christians’ anxiety.
He typically chastises sins quickly (Psalm 23:4), but gives us the freedom to explore if we’re living life wisely.
We do not find God’s will with vague premonitions or divining:
- Feelings toward certain decisions.
- Randomly selected Bible verses that confirm a belief or choice.
- Anything that contradicts a passage in the Bible.
We should want wisdom more than specific guidance:
- Wisdom is both fear and knowledge of God.
- Biblical wisdom is a disciplined and prudent life with a fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10).
- Wisdom is more important than silver or gold (Proverbs 8:11).
- We should longingly seek for wisdom.
- Wisdom gives freedom and life through understanding it (Proverbs 4:6-7).
Discipline yourself to wisdom:
- Pray consistently.
- Ask advice from wise people in the Church.
- Read the Bible frequently.
- Take time to consider decisions.
- Research and learn anything you need to know.
- Focus strictly on things you can change and trust God for the rest.
God’s will is relatively simple to understand
A. Have an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ:
- He wants everyone to come to repentance for their sins (2 Peter 3:9, John 3:16).
- Deeply understand Jesus and who you are with him.
- Purse Christ above everything else instead of as a religion or mystical experience.
B. Let God sanctify you:
- Sanctification is setting something aside for a holy purpose (1 Thessalonians 4).
- Remove any sins that could get in between you and God.
- Be holy like Jesus (1 Peter 1:15-16).
C. Let God fill you with the Holy Spirit:
- Live by the power of the Holy Spirit, not feelings or knowledge (Galatians 5:16-25, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 5:17).
D. Stay humble with everyone:
- Practice spiritual exercises and change bad habits as you discover them (1 Peter 2).
E. Suffer righteously:
- God permits difficulty and hardship to educate us (1 Peter 4:19).
- We endure the trials long enough to learn the lesson, with progressively worse situations until we accept it.
- Once we’ve learned, He gives us rest to recover from the struggle.
- Repeat with a different lesson.
F. Act when He calls us to special projects:
- There is a time and place for everything under the sun (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).
- Most of the Bible involves people who were performing a relatively uninteresting life until God called them to a (typically unexpected) interesting role.
G. Thank Him for His availability and your situation:
- One of the most significant signs of a healthy Christian walk is gratitude (Ephesians 5).
- In general, Christians should have nothing to be afraid of, not even death (1 Corinthians 15:54-58).
We complicate His will
God never permits sinful lifestyles:
- He despises sin with a fierce passion (Isaiah 59:2)
- Many people will blame God or others for the consequences of their actions.
- Each Christian must take control of their own decisions before God gives them anything else.
- God’s will doesn’t give complete license to do whatever we want.
We also tend to add aspects of what God wants:
- We often want to know God’s long-term will, but aren’t willing to do His short-term commands.
- God doesn’t have a perfect target we must constantly hit every time.
- God’s will isn’t a complicated maze with special rules and guidelines for success.
- A cynical attitude can easily complicate God’s desires.
- God is consistent enough that He’ll provide, but He’s creative enough that He never does the same thing twice.
- We don’t know His motivations, but we must simply obey Him.
The Bible does not guarantee external benefits:
- Health, physical wellness or a long life on earth
- Success in any form
- Physical redemption from past sins
- A leisurely or effortless life
- Financial prosperity
- Literal, direct messages or words from Him or angels
- Reasonable and low-stress challenges
- God frequently gives you more than you can handle to force you to rely on Him!
- A stable lifestyle
- Christians usually transition through cycles of hardship and prosperity (Philippians 4:11-13)
- Any of the above for someone you care about
While in His will, you can do whatever you want
If you have the right attitude with Him, anything you do is His will:
- God cares far more about your relationship with Him than doctrines, churches, living situation, career decisions, friendships, relationships, and family decisions (Matthew 10:37).
- Eat and drink what you want, assuming it doesn’t harm others’ conscience (1 Corinthians 8).
- Travel or live anywhere you want, assuming He didn’t call you to go somewhere (Acts 8:26-27).
- Associate with anyone you want, assuming you weren’t called to a specific ministry.
- In general, adopt any lifestyle you want that’s loving.
On a more practical level, the most sufficient fulfillment of His will comes through daily rituals in Christ and serving others.