Knowing God’s Will

Q

I read your site daily and highly respect your opinions and answers. You have given me insights I have not found elsewhere. May God continue to bless your ministry.

I am struggling with knowing God’s will for my life. I was raised a Roman Catholic and fell away from the Lord for most of my life. I blamed God for all the bad things that happened in my life and wasted 30 years not knowing Him. I have been studying the bible for almost two years on my own and recently joined a church (not Roman Catholic) and got baptized. The preacher preaches salvation through Christ.

I have accepted Jesus as my personal Savior and have peace in my life for the first time. I feel guilty because I don’t think I’m doing anything for Him. He said we need to be His hands and feet, but I do not know what He wants me to do with my life.

How do I know what He wants me to do? How do I find my purpose in life? Where can I go to learn what I need to do in order to hear Him? Any information you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

 

A

Romans 12:1-2 states, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

When you yield your whole life to the Lord (that’s what offering your body means) and ask Him how He would use it, He’ll show you. Take no independent action. Seek His counsel before making any decision.

When I first did this, I told Him that I didn’t trust myself to read His signals so He was going to have to be very clear on what He did or did not want me to do. He complied and led me into the life I have now. I had a false start or two and took a few wrong turns, but He’s faithful and gently corrected me, knowing that my motives were pure. He’ll do the same for you.