Will Of God 9 – God’s will for me

My food is to do the will of the One who sent me (John 4:34).

So: finding myself in a good but fallen world, what does God want me to do? “The greatest help available in discerning the will of God is reached when we deepen our friendship with him” (Weatherhead). The practicalities of friendship are obvious, and simple – and the vast majority of God’s will for me is crystal clear, and can keep me pretty busy. “Do not get drunk” (Ephesians 5:18), “Do not judge” (Luke 7:37), “Care for orphans and keep yourself unstained by the world” (James 1:27); “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22). It is God’s will that we be holy, lift up the poor, reconcile with enemies, avoid gossip, attend worship, clothe the naked, and express gratitude.

Reminding myself of this demystifies God’s will for me, and frankly makes it feel more comprehensive – and daunting! – than merely waiting until a crisis and thinking “Now I need to know God’s will.” For knowing God’s will is a matter of developing holy habits. The more I practice what I know is God’s will, the better prepared I am to improvise in a sticky, less than clear situation.

And I begin to understand that God’s will is something particular that I do, not a vague thought or speculative question I harbor. God wants me to do this with my life, and not that. God wants me to go here, not there this afternoon. God’s will isn’t generalized niceness, but something specific I believe God wants me to do. I’ve practiced what I know God wants, I am sure God won’t call me to do something that is alien to what God has made clear, and above all else, I pray – and not a quickie prayer, but a focused appeal to God, one I make over and over until my receptiveness to God becomes second nature.

St. Francis did this, and we might pray his prayer daily:
Most high, glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of my heart
and give me, Lord,
correct faith,
firm hope,
perfect charity,
wisdom and perception,
that I may do what is truly your most holy will.