As pastors, there is one question that we are often asked, “How do I know God’s will for my life?”

While some ask this question genuinely wanting to walk in the will of God, there are many who seek God’s will to interpret their own agendas as God’s will.

When someone holds on adamantly to their own will, God often releases it or allows it in their life. This is God’s permissible will. However, God’s permissible will is not God’s perfect will.

Ruth’s Turnaround

The book of Ruth displays another beautiful example of God’s permissible will and God’s perfect will.

When Naomi lost both her sons, she asks her two daughters-in-law, both of whom were Moabites, to return to their own country and seek husbands for themselves. While Oprah took hold of this opportunity and returned to her people, Ruth gives up her dream of having a husband and decides to stay back with Naomi.

She says in 1 Ruth:16, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”

Eventually, we see how Ruth met the kinsman-redeemer Boaz and gets married to him. And as we know, Ruth was King David’s great-grandmother, and Jesus was born as a descendent of David.

A woman from a nation that was bound to destruction became a woman of grace being connected to the genealogy of Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the result of being in the perfect will of God.

Ready to be used by God

Let’s look at another example of being under the perfect will of God.

We see in the book of Acts how Paul and Barnabas had surrendered their whole life to the works of the Lord. They gave up their own desires and had no plans of their own. They were tested and had proven themselves faithful and obedient, serving in the church among their brothers and with their whole hearts. As they put their whole trust in Him, the Holy Spirit came and “separated them”!

“Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2

When you lay down your own agendas and desires, and surrender your life to God, you become ready to be used by the Holy Spirit. Now He comes to separate you, to walk in the perfect will of God!

Surrender your desires at the feet of Jesus, and as you wait patiently, you will inherit the promises of God’s perfect will for your life rather than settle for His permissive will.

When you surrender your own agendas to God and decide to stick to His will, the God who sees every little sacrifice you make will honor you by bringing about His perfect will in your life. Don’t forget, His will is always far better than what you could have asked or imagined.

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