What is God's will?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

God's will includes His sovereign plan from the beginning of time, His moral commands for all people, His specific guidance for communities, and His unique purpose for each individual. Scripture teaches that God works all things according to His will (Ephesians 1:11), and that He desires all people to be saved and live holy, Spirit-led lives (1 Timothy 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:3). We see examples of His will through both broad commands—like rejoicing always and making disciples (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Matthew 28:19-20)—and personal direction, like when Paul was led to Macedonia (Acts 16:9-10). Believers are to submit their will to His, seek to understand His will through His Word, obediently live out His will, and trust Him in every situation, even in hardship (Romans 8:28). As we seek God’s will through prayer, Scripture, and wise counsel, He faithfully guides our steps for His glory and our good.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Job 42:2 speaks of God’s sovereign or supreme will: "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted." God’s will includes His work in creation, His plans for redemption, and His personal involvement in shaping our lives for His glory.
• God’s will also includes His unique plan for groups of people as well as for our individual lives. The Bible shows this in passages like Jeremiah 29:11 when God spoke to the people of Israel, saying, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The Bible speaks of God's sovereign, or supreme, will. Ephesians 1:11 teaches God is the One "who works all things according to the counsel of His will."
• Romans 8:28 states that God's will works for the good of believers: "We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." In this context, God’s will refers to His sovereign, redemptive purpose for those who love Him—His plan to conform believers to the image of Christ and ultimately glorify them.
• The Bible also speaks of specifics of God's will for humanity. For example, God "desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4).
• God's will is salvation through faith in Jesus and eternal life for believers (John 6:39-40).
• John 3:16 also teaches, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." The Lord wills or desires people to come to salvation and to obey His commands.
• One command Jesus left us with was to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20).
• God’s will includes other commands, such as 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
• First Thessalonians 4:3 tells us that it is God's will for us to live holy and pure lives.
• First Peter indicates that it is God's will for us to silence criticism through our good behavior (2:15) and that if we suffer for doing that, we’re to trust Him (4:19).
• Ephesians 5:17-18 emphasizes discovering and doing God's will—living wisely and Spirit-filled.
• The Bible also speaks of God’s will for our individual lives (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 2:10).
• An example of God’s individual will for a specific person can be seen with the apostle Paul. God once gave Paul a dream to travel to a particular area to share the Gospel: "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them" (Acts 16:9-10).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

God's will can refer to His perfect plan known since the beginning of time, God's teachings for all people, God's specific desires for a community of people, or God's unique plan for our individual lives. God knows all that will take place, has commanded us to follow certain teachings, and leads and guides both individuals and communities of believers toward certain actions that bring glory to His name.

Knowing God's will means seeking His purpose for our lives—both in what He calls all of us to do and in our daily choices. God's sovereign will reminds us that He is in control, even when life feels uncertain. For example, when facing a job loss or health crisis, we can trust that God is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28). We can pray for wisdom and remain faithful, knowing His plan is greater than our current struggle.

God's will also includes living according to His Word. This includes being sexually pure, being thankful in all circumstances, praying without ceasing, and rejoicing always. Living for God’s will might look like starting each day with prayer, offering thanks even in traffic or during a tough meeting, or reaching out to encourage someone else who's hurting.

We begin to understand the Lord’s direction for us by praying for wisdom (James 1:5), reading Scripture, listening to wise counsel, and watching for open or closed doors. We should seek to faithfully honor Him in all our decisions. Just as Paul responded to God's call through a vision in Acts 16:9-10, we, too, can sense God leading us toward certain opportunities or relationships. When we remain faithful in what God has already revealed, He often makes the next steps clearer. Trusting God's will isn't always about knowing every detail ahead of time—it's about walking daily in obedience, confident that He is guiding our path for His glory and our good.

UNDERSTAND

• God’s will is sovereign, meaning that His ultimate plan governs all creation and cannot be thwarted.
• God’s will is moral; He commands all people to live holy lives, obey His Word, and follow Christ.
• God’s will is personal – He gives individual guidance and purpose to each believer through Scripture, prayer, and the Spirit.

REFLECT

• In what area of your life do you need to trust God's sovereign will, even when you don’t understand what He’s doing?
• How are you actively seeking God's will both broadly and individually?
• Are there any clear commands from God’s Word—like rejoicing, being thankful, or making disciples—that you’ve been ignoring or struggling to live out?

ENGAGE

• How does understanding God’s sovereign and general will help us with determining His specific will for our lives?
• Why do people often fear or resist submitting to God's will, and how can we encourage a different mindset?
• What does it look like to walk in God’s will when life doesn’t go according to our plans?