God has spoken and still speaks to reveal His will to us through His written word-the Bible. He has already revealed a great part of what we want to know. Many of the questions we ask have already been answered in the Bible.
It is important that you study God’s word because in so doing you will find what He has already said. It is our responsibility to search what is already revealed in the scriptures. One of my friends, a high school girl, was asked by a non-Christian man to marry him.
“Ann”, he said, “I have fallen in love with you.”
“Just be patient,” she answered after a short thoughtful pause, “you will fall out.” Ann did not need to pray or even keep the man guessing. She knew the answer from being acquainted with God’s. She knew the answer from being acquainted with God’s word.
God in His Word is clear about who we should marry.
Be not yoked together with non-believers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness… what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? (2 Cor. 6:14-15, NIV).Â
Whenever you come to a point where you have to determine God’s will, the first question to ask yourself is, “What does the word of God say about this issue ?!’If you don’t know yet study it: find out! Where God has clearly stated His will in the scriptures, we do not need to seek further guidance from elsewhere but simply obey.
An important principle to remember is that God’s word is a lamp and not highlights-that God will not show us all the way but will give us enough light so that we do not walk in darkness as we obey His word.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Ps.115:105).
God will not show you the second step before you take the first one.
The first step to knowing God’s will is, therefore, studying the Bible. Discovering what He has already said is essential for the Bible says:
…secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law” (Deut.29:29).Â
In your search however, do not use the “shtuka” (random) method of studying God’s word. It may give you what God never meant. Have you heard of the woman who needed guidance from scriptures? She closed her eyes and prayed. “Lord let my finger rest on your will for me.” So, while still closing her eyes she put her finger somewhere in the Bible and opened her eyes to read. It read, “Judas” went out and hanged himself.” She closed her eyes again and pointed to another place and it read, “go and do likewise” And lastly, she pointed at another one that said, “what you are about to do, do quickly”. That’s a dangerous way of studying God’s word.
Besides making specific commands, God’s word gives some principles for guiding us. For example, on some occasions God will confirm His guidance to you through some specific passage in your daily Bible reading and devotion. If that happens when you are not looking for Bible verses to hang on, it is very good. But we need to confirm that kind of guidance with the other types. Remember, that God will never lead you to do contrary to what He has already revealed-He cannot contradict Himself.
There are issues that the Bible does not expressly address. For example, it does not say whether one should marry Jane or Mary, Mugambi or Julius, neither does it say whether one should work in Nairobi or Lagos. It doesn’t say anything about whether you should become a nurse or a teacher. When the Bible does not tell you ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ what should you do? Move to the next step in discovering God’s will-prayer of faith.
