Paul - “So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of His will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (Colossians 1:9)
What do you typically pray for when you pray for yourself and others? Most people tend to pray for themselves or others to experience healing, provision, reconciliation, or some other type of help. But what we really need to be praying for when it comes to ourselves and others is that we need to be praying for “complete knowledge of God’s will” as well as “spiritual wisdom and understanding.” That’s because God’s will and way for our lives and others’ lives is always better than our will and way.
So, how do we discover God’s will and way for our lives? One way is by studying the principles and practices found in the Bible like we do in Life Groups, Worship Services and through personal Bible reading. Psalm 119:104-105 reads, “Your commandments give me understanding . . . Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” A second way to discover God’s will is by consulting with mature Christians. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” That verse and other verses tell us that when we seek counsel from godly people, we are more apt to discover God’s will and be successful with our plans.
A third way to discover God’s will is by listening to God’s Spirit. The Bible tells us that God’s Spirit lives inside of us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 1:13-14) and that He wants to give us the counsel we need. To hear from God’s Spirit, we need to pray and then listen for Him to speak to us. In the Old Testament, Eli told young Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:9, “If someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.’” Too often, we rush into prayer, saying, “Listen, Lord, Your servant is speaking,” when more often, we need to say, “Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.” And when we do hear from God’s Spirit, He will give us succinct direction for the situations and relationships which we need His counsel for. Discovering God’s will and pursuing it is the key to experiencing success in every area of our lives.
Prayer - Lord, help me continue to be someone committed to praying daily, and in my prayer times, may I hear Your voice and discover Your will for my life.
Reflection - What steps must I take to better know God’s will in my life in the days ahead? Who do I need to be praying for who needs God’s help in their lives?
