Discovering God's will for us

My pastor Don Dyck's sermon yesterday was on a topic I find such an important and interesting one to think about. It's a topic I see many people struggling with, including people in my Living Room group. How do we know what God's will is? How do we know what God wants us to do? And what did God make us to do? If God wants us to do His will why does He make it so hard to figure out? Why isn't it more clear?

Pastor Don quoted several Bible passage that talk about what God's will for us is:

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 1 Peter 2:13-15

Be very careful then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Ephesians 5:15-17

All these describe ways God wants us to live our lives. Pastor Don said that before anything else, we have to get this part right.

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humby with your God. Micah 6:8

Don's notes read: "God's will is discerned within the context of an everyday relationship that grows out of a commitment to live according to His ways." It's all about walking closely with God! In Don's words, "The greater the distance from God, the greater the difficulty in discerning His will for us. We won't fully know in advance what God's will for us is, but if we walk step by step with God, He will reveal His will. You will know the right thing to do."

Yes! God will reveal His will for you, bit by bit. And when you stay close to Him, He will take you on an adventure!