As we read through the Bible, we see the lives of men of old who left all to serve God. They walked away from what they had known for their entire lives to start a new life serving the Lord. But how did they know what God's will was?
That is the most asked question- what is God's will for my life? How do I know that I'm where God wants me to be?
The first step in knowing God's will for your life is to know God- to be saved. You can't know where God wants you if you don't even know God.
Secondly, God wants us to become his disciple. We are suppose to take up our cross and follow Him, not walk away and live our life as we please. Jesus said that we are to deny ourselves- deny our desires, deny our wants, deny our ways- daily. You can't know God's will if you're busy trying to fulfill your own will.
Too many Christians today whine about not knowing God's will for their life, but they aren't really searching for it. They don't have a relationship with Him, They aren't willing to do the written things that He's asked of them in His word, so He isn't going to give you more until you obey what He's already revealed.
You cannot know God's will for your life if you are living in sin. Each of us know certain sins that are okay with the world, but are wrong in God's eyes- adultery, fornication, pornography, worldly pleasures, etc. Romans 12:1-2 tells us that we are to give our bodies as a living sacrifice using them to prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. His will is that everything about us is pure and holy.
You can't have any further light on His will for your life if you are engaged in these sins. But, they aren't the only sins. They are the largest and most noticeable, but there are other sins. There are 10 commandments that lists them out boiled down to the simplest, purest form- don't steal, don't lie, don't covet, etc.
There are many verses in the Bible that tells you what God expects from you- those things are His will for your life. In fact, the Bible mentions God's will for your life around 23 times. These are the basic things that He expects from ALL Christians.
So, if I'm trying to live a clean, holy life and I'm obeying God's commandments, what is God's will for my life specifically? You can't go to the preacher, or your parents, or even your closest friends to find that answer. They don't know God's will for your life because it's personal to you. They can help to guide you and pray for you, but you will only find God's will for your life while you are reading His word and praying for His specific will- and He will tell you if you ask Him!
When Saul was struck down on his way to Damascus he asks God two things- who are you and what do you want from me? God has a plan for your life- it's not a puzzle or a secret. He wants you to know His will for your life. As you walk with Him and serve Him daily, He shows you the next step of His plan for your life.
When you pray and ask God for His will He opens the right doors for you. Only one door opens at a time. It is now your job to decide whether to go through the door or not. The open door is God's will- the next step in His plan for your life. But, you have the choice to go through it or not.
Read your Bible. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Pray. Observe the signs that He puts in your life. Seek guidance and prayers from those who have been living in God's will (they might see some signs from God that you've missed). Little by little, step by step, walking through each open door you will look back and realize that you found God's will for your life and you've been living in His will for your life.
