Late in the evening of November 19, 2009, in the Moscow Church of the Apostle Thomas on Kantemirovskaya: an unknown person in a mask entered the temple and shot him at point-blank range. On this day we publish a conversation about. Daniel, dedicated to the manifestation of God’s will in our lives...

“Is there God’s will for some event in my life and for some of my actions?” We ask ourselves questions like these all the time. How can we understand whether we act in life according to the will of God or on our own? And in general, do we understand the will of God correctly? After all, in fact, God’s will is freedom, because the word “will” is a synonym for the word “freedom”. And when a person truly understands this, he will not be afraid of anything.

“Do not be foolish, but know what the will of God is.”(Eph.5:17). The question is perhaps one of the most important in our lives. Agree that the will of God is the most accurate and true measure of how we should act. If we act according to our own will, we will certainly make a mistake, because, not knowing the will of the Highest God, the Revelation of the Creator, we are doomed to wander in the darkness of this world.

Many believe that the will of God is known and can only be learned by special ascetics of piety, elders, and that it is supposedly inaccessible to an ordinary Christian. If we turn to God's sacred Word, we will see that this is not so. All Christians without exception are told: “I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God... do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2), “Do not be foolish, but know what the will of God is”(Eph.5:17). There are also many other places Holy Scripture, where Christians are required to know the will of God. Thus, Holy Scripture affirms that a Christian can and should know the will of the Lord.

How can we know the will of God? To begin with, we must understand what the will of God is, what it is, what it is by nature.

We, unlike sectarians and Buddhists, affirm that God is a Personality, He has self-awareness, He can say I, He has sovereign power over all beings in the Universe by right of the Creator and, by virtue of this, has absolute will.

The will of God has main properties. The first of these properties is righteousness: the will of God is the source of righteousness, the source of good.“No one is good except God alone”(Matthew 19:17)- said our Lord, that is, in a strict sense, goodness is inherent only in God, and for us - by participation in this good. We can draw from this ocean of goodness, goodness, but in ourselves we are not goodness, we are goodness, but not goodness. God is good, He is an ocean of good, therefore it cannot be said that the will of God is evil, that is, all evil is obviously not from God.

The second property of God’s will is perfection, that is, everything that is not perfect serves to imperfection and does not correspond to the will of God. We must understand the basic axioms, because with the help of such a definition a lot is cut off.

Further, we must understand that the will of God is omnipotent, that is, God can do whatever he wants, therefore it will be wrong to say that God can do one thing or another, but cannot do another, unless this other thing is something unrighteous. These are very important principles that we must keep in our minds in order to know what the will of the Lord is.

We must also understand that the will of God serves to fulfill His global plan. When we talk about the will of God regarding us, it concerns us personally, but it is connected with general plan the entire universe, because each of us was conceived by God the Father even before the creation of the Universe. There was a plan for us before the beginning of time, and our task is to reveal precisely this plan. The global implementation of this plan is for all beings of earth and heaven to unite under one Head - the Lord Jesus Christ. The whole world was created for Christ, therefore our global goal is to meet in Christ, unite with Christ and have Christ as our Head, so that everything is headed by Christ, so that Christ always acts in all of us. This is the global goal of the will of God, in which all private manifestations are reduced as private manifestations of this single global plan.

Very often, people who seek the will of God, who want to know something about it, perceive it discretely, that is, they try to divide it into pieces. For example, is it God's will to buy a car or not? But if we pose the question this way, then very often the question simply will not make any sense due to the questioner’s lack of understanding of his place in general structure of the universe.

There are a number of things common to all creatures in the Universe, in which the will of God is manifested. When the Jews asked Christ what is the will of God and what works should we do to fulfill the will of God? “Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”(John 6:29)- this is the first command of the will of God. Anything that interferes with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a violation of the will of God. For example, a person who does not believe in Jesus Christ violates the will of the Lord. It is also said that God’s will is for us to abstain from fornication and not be angry, therefore no malice or hatred can be justified by the will of God. We can say that the main core of determining the will of God is the Commandments of the Lord, the first of which is the Orthodox faith.

The question arises: does this or that action correspond to the will of God? First, we check whether it contradicts or does not contradict faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The second is whether it contradicts the Commandments. If it contradicts the Commandments or faith in Christ the Savior, then this is obviously against the will of God and is obviously not discussed.

Where do we get the concept of the will of God? Saint Anthony the Great said: in order not to make mistakes, you must never condemn anyone and have the testimony of Holy Scripture for everything you do.

Further, we draw the will of God from the Holy Scriptures, but how, what is the condition for reading the Holy Scriptures? To properly understand Holy Scripture, first, it must be read prayerfully, that is, read not as a text for discussion, but as a text that is understood prayerfully. Secondly, in order to understand the Holy Scripture, as the Apostle says, one must not conform to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind(Rom.12:1). In Greek, “not to be conformed” means not to have a common scheme with this age, that is, when they say: “in our time everyone thinks like that” - this is a kind of scheme, we should not conform to it. If we want to know the will of God, we must deliberately discard and ignore what one of the 17th century sages, Francis Bacon, called “the idols of the crowd,” that is, the opinions of others. Before starting to read the Word of God, it is necessary to cleanse our minds of these prejudices - this is a necessary condition, otherwise we will read what we want. There is always such a temptation to look for what we want, and not what God commands. Further the Apostle says that we must be transformed by the renewing of your mind(Rom.12:2), that is, we must renew the intellect, the mind. How? “Transforming” (in Greek “metamorphosis”), that is, changing the way of thinking. This is a conscious work that every Christian is obliged to carry out from the moment of his Baptism. That is, everything we do, all thoughts must be tested by God and must be purified by His Word. Our task is to begin to think biblically, in a patristic way. It is necessary to improve your thinking process and this must be done continuously. Actually, there is a rule for this daily reading Holy Scripture, it exists as a tuning fork for tuning the mind, which should gradually begin to function differently. It is necessary to change the way of thinking: I think this way, but the Bible thinks differently, so much the worse for my point of view - the general setting should be exactly like this. This process of tuning the mind takes a lot of intellectual power. Where to get strength from? It is necessary to remember that all these powers are given to us, they are invested in us at the moment of anointing. As the Apostle John the Theologian said: “The anointing that you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; But just as this very anointing teaches you all things, and is true and without falsehood, whatever it has taught you, continue in it” (1 John 2:27), that is, it is necessary to use the gift of anointing, which was invested in you immediately after the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Inside you, in the depths of your heart, lie the spiritual powers of the Holy Spirit, therefore it is necessary to ask the Holy Spirit to give you strength, since He comes to you from the moment of Baptism, you need to turn to Him for help. Do not try to renew your mind on your own, but continuously, every time you want to do this, turn to the Lord God the Holy Spirit for help.

What to do next? Here we have a difficult situation, we immediately check: we take the Word of God, pray, and begin to read. How should we understand it? We must understand the Word of God as the Holy Fathers understood it. Not the way we want to understand him, but the way he understands him Orthodox Church. To do this, it is necessary to engage in work that we have now somehow forgotten: it is necessary to study the Holy Scriptures. The first Psalm says: “But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night! And he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which brings forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither” (Ps. 1:2-3), that is, it is necessary to delve into the Law of God, reflect on it, read into it, always relying on the Holy Fathers. We live now in unique time, when many works of the Holy Fathers are available in libraries and stores. We need to study the Holy Scripture so that in a difficult moment we have a practice, a habit, a habitual thought that should immediately enter us and test our mind.

Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Then we find out God’s will, a difficult moment arises and there is no answer yet obvious to us in the Holy Scriptures. How to find out the will of God in such a situation? This is why the Holy Church exists. It is necessary to go to the Church of God and ask the priest for advice, so that the advice is given based on the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Fathers. Justification is necessary for us to learn. After all, every episode of our life is new stage teaching, therefore, if we take the Holy Fathers, they always referred to the Holy Scriptures and other Holy Fathers. Thus, the process of teaching a person took place, so that next time it would be easier for a person to make a choice so that he learns, and not just: I need specific advice for a specific moment, period. An ordained priest has the power to teach the “verbal sheep” the Word of God, not his own word, but precisely the Word of God. There is a situation when a priest may be incompetent in some matter. Priests are different, have different spiritual levels, but there are questions that are more complex and he can advise you to venerate one of the saints or send him to some experienced priest, elder or bishop who stands above him. People go to the elder for specific important questions of spiritual life, for example, how to deal with this or that sin, or learn this or that virtue, or to do or not do some very important thing.

Now about the situation when it is not possible to go to the priest, to the elder, that is, there is some important issue that requires an urgent solution. There are several ways to find out God's will in such a situation.

The first method, based on the Holy Scriptures, is by lot. As you remember, the Holy Apostles chose the new Apostle Matthew by lot in place of Judas. They did this in strict accordance with the Book of Proverbs, which says: “The lot is cast on the floor, but its entire decision is from the Lord.”(Proverbs 16:33). How to cast lots correctly? In order to cast lots, you must, naturally, know what to choose from. If you cast lots: to have an abortion or not to have an abortion, then God, obviously, will not bless such a lot, because it is obviously not necessary to have an abortion. The lot is cast when there are several options, all of which do not contradict the will of God expressed in the Holy Scriptures, do not contradict the direct Commandments of the Lord, but which we cannot decide. First they pray to the Lord, usually they read the Lord’s Prayer to the Heavenly King, describe some three options, cast lots or throw away pebbles, without looking at random. There is also a rule: if the matter is important, we doubt it, then it is good to draw lots three times. This is a directly biblical way of determining the will of God, which is based directly on the teachings of the saints and in no way is fortune telling or anything else.

Further, there is a second way of recognizing the will of God, which is also associated with the Holy Scriptures. It looks like one sin and I ask you to clearly distinguish one simple thing. The method is that you open the text of the Holy Scripture and begin to read it in a row, praying, asking God to reveal His will. Please note that you begin to read in a row, and do not try to do it as during fortune telling: randomly open and close, open and close. One must understand the related text, the related thought of God. When you read the word of God with prayer, one or another sacred text very often catches your eye. This method is perhaps one of the most reliable for determining the will of God, because God Himself continues to speak through His Living Word.
Also, the will of God can be determined even when the Word of God is not at hand. Father Seraphim Sakharov, a famous confessor, speaks, relying on the authority of St. Silouan of Athos, the following words: in such cases, you need to clear your mind of all the pros and cons, all decisions, stop the thought process, stop considering possible solutions. Stop the process of digging inside yourself, there are certain ways to do this: close your eyes well, take a deep breath, breathe out and after that, directly turning to the Lord God, ask Him to reveal His will and after that, consider the first thought that comes to be the will of God . This method cannot be abused, it should be used only when there is no direct evidence in the Holy Scriptures, there is no way to find out by lot, or ask a priest. People often abuse this method, thinking that any thought that comes to mind is the will of God and then go to extremes.

Now, as for things directly related to knowing the will of God, but at the same time very dangerous. We know from the Word of God that the Bible describes a number of cases where the will of God was revealed through dreams or visions. You need to be extremely careful here. As Jesus son of Sirach says: “Dreams have led many astray, and those who trusted in them have fallen.”(Sir.35:7). Remember that only that dream can be recognized as from God if, firstly, it is not caused by my previous activities: if I do something before going to bed, and then I dreamed about it, this does not mean that the will of God has been revealed, my thinking process continues in my sleep. You can be deceived here, but this is the most harmless of deceptions. We also need to distinguish between dreams that come from the devil. Remember that dreams from the devil lead a person either to a state of pride or to a state of despair, therefore, as John Climacus said: believe only those dreams that call you to repentance, but if they plunge you into despondency, then do not believe them either. God does not like despondency, God does not like despair. We must remember that the Spirit of God is the Spirit of peace and every time God speaks, He speaks in such a way that a person is at peace at the same time. When God speaks, a person becomes quiet, his mind calms down. When God's words ring out human head they are always accompanied by a feeling of reverence for God, the fear of the Lord, because “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord”(Prov.9:10). When God personally addresses a person, it is no longer possible to confuse this, but we must remember that we can and cannot count on this at the same time. Why? On the one hand, we can, because we are children of God, God, of course, can turn to us, but we cannot demand that God forcibly tell us something. God doesn't owe anyone anything.

When God speaks, it can no longer be confused. The external signs are the very signs that the Apostle Paul lists: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Gal.5:22-23). When God acts in a person, precisely these qualities that the Apostle speaks about arise in him. This is a clear diagnosis. If a person talks to God and is hysterical after that, it is obvious that he did not talk to God.

Throughout our lives, we more than once find ourselves faced with a choice of what to do, which path to take, and not just to follow, but to ensure that this path corresponds to God’s will for us. How can we find out the will of God? How do we know that the choice we make is the right one? The pastors of the Russian Church give their advice.

– The question of how to find out the will of God is perhaps one of the most important in our lives. Agree that the will of God is the most accurate and true measure of how we should act.

To know or feel the will of God in a particular case, many conditions are needed. This is a good knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, this is slowness in decision, this is the advice of a confessor.

To properly understand Holy Scripture, first, it must be read prayerfully, that is, read not as a text for discussion, but as a text that is understood prayerfully. Secondly, in order to understand the Holy Scriptures, it is necessary, as the apostle says, not to be conformed to this age, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind (see: Rom. 12:2). In Greek, the verb “not to be conformed” means: not to have a common pattern with this age: that is, when they say: “Everyone thinks like this in our time,” this is a certain pattern, and we should not conform to it. If we want to know the will of God, we must deliberately discard and ignore what one of the 17th century sages, Francis Bacon, called “the idols of the crowd,” that is, the opinions of others.

All Christians without exception are told: “I appeal to you, brethren, by the mercies of God... do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2 ); “Do not be foolish, but understand what is the will of God” (Eph. 5:17). And in general, the will of God can only be known through personal communication with Him. Therefore, a close relationship with Him, prayer and service to Him will be a necessary condition to find an answer to our question.

Live in accordance with God's commandments

– How to find out the will of God? Yes, it’s very simple: you need to open New Testament, First Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, and read: “This is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess. 4:3). And we are sanctified by obedience to God.

So there is only one sure way to know the will of God - this is to live in harmony with the Lord. And the more we establish ourselves in such a life, the more we seem to take root, establish ourselves in God’s likeness, and acquire real skill in understanding and fulfilling the will of God, that is, in the conscious and consistent fulfillment of His commandments. This is general, and the particular follows from this general. Because if a person in some specific life situation wants to know God’s will about himself and, let’s say, learns it from some spirit-bearing elder, but the disposition of the person himself is not spiritual, then he will not be able to understand, accept, or fulfill this will... So the main thing is, without a doubt, a sober, spiritual life and attentive fulfillment of God’s commandments.

And if a person is going through some important period in his life and he really wants to do right choice, to act Godly in this or that difficult situation, then, based on all that has been said, the first way to find out the will of God is to strengthen your church life, that is, to undergo special spiritual work: to speak, to confess, to receive communion, to show greater zeal than usual in prayer and reading the word of God - this is the main work for one who really wants to know the will of God in this or that matter. And the Lord, seeing such a sober and serious disposition of the heart, will certainly make His holy will clear and give strength to fulfill it. This is a fact that has been verified many times and by the most different people. You just need to show constancy, patience and determination in seeking precisely God’s truth, and not in pleasing your dreams, desires and plans... Because everything mentioned is already self-will, that is, not the plans, dreams and hopes themselves, but the desire for everything to be exactly the way we want. Here is a question of real faith and self-denial, if you like, readiness to follow Christ, and not your ideas about what is right and useful. It is impossible without this.

In Rus' it is customary to ask for advice especially important points life with the elders, that is, with experienced confessors endowed with special grace. This desire is deeply rooted in the tradition of Russian church life. Only, when going for advice, we need to remember, again, that spiritual work is required of us: strong prayer, abstinence and repentance with humility, readiness and determination to do the will of God - that is, everything that we talked about above. But in addition, it is also imperative and earnest to pray for the enlightenment of the confessor with the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that the Lord, by His mercy, through the spiritual father, will reveal to us His holy will. There are such prayers, the holy fathers write about them. Here is one of them, proposed by the Venerable Abba Isaiah:

“God, do mercy on me and, whatever pleases You about me, inspire my father (name) to say it about me.”

Desire God's will, not your own

– The will of God can be known different ways- through the advice of a confessor or the blessing of parents, through reading the word of God or with the help of lots, etc. But the main thing that anyone who wants to know the will of God must have is the willingness to unquestioningly follow it in their life. If there is such a readiness, the Lord will definitely reveal His will to a person, perhaps in an unexpected way.

– I like the patristic advice. As a rule, we long to know the will of God at the moment when we stand at a crossroads - before a choice. Or when we prefer one option for the development of events over another, less attractive to us. Firstly, you need to try to set yourself up equally in relation to any path or development of events, that is, internally prepare for any outcome, and not become attached to any of the options. Secondly, sincerely and fervently pray that the Lord will arrange everything according to His good will and do everything in a way that will be useful for us in terms of our salvation in eternity. And then, as the holy fathers claim, His Providence for us will be revealed.

Be attentive to yourself and your conscience

- Be careful! To yourself, to the world around you and your neighbors. The will of God is open to a Christian in the Holy Scriptures: a person can receive an answer to his questions in it. According to St. Augustine, when we pray, we turn to God, and when we read the Holy Scriptures, the Lord answers us. The will of God is for everyone to come to salvation. Knowing this, strive to direct your will in all events of life towards God who saves.

And “in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18).

– It is quite simple to find out the will of God: if the conscience, when tested by prayer and time, does not “revolt”, if the solution to this or that issue does not contradict the Gospel and if the confessor is not against your decision, then God’s will is the decision. Each of your actions must be viewed through the prism of the Gospel and accompanied by a prayer, even the shortest one: “Lord, bless.”

Not having a high opinion of yourself, but always having a high opinion of others, is great wisdom and perfection.” (Thomas a Kempis"

God's will

There are criteria for similarity to Jesus - this is the name. (Christ Christians).

But there is another criterion that Jesus speaks of: “Whoever does the will of My Father is My brother and sister and mother...”

God's will is divided into 2 distinct categories: His universal will, which applies to all people, and His specific will, which applies to you personally.

We may be more interested in His specific will: family, work, future...

However, God's universal will and specific will are closely related. God's universal will is clear and undeniable as it is expressed in His Word.

- Trust in Christ.

— Salvation (1 Tim. 2:3,4 (Everything that God allows is for our salvation)

— Submitting oneself to Christ (Rom. 12:1,2)

— Witness to others (Matt. 28:19,20)

If you choose to submit to God's revealed will in Scripture, you will have a great opportunity to discover His specific will for yourself.

By committing yourself to obedience to God's universal will, you give God the opportunity to reveal His will to you in specific circumstances.

1. Weigh the alternatives. When making decisions, you choose either God's will or your own. (Who decides what is right and what is wrong).
2. Comparison with God's standards. Compare the choice to the person of God. “Open Your way to me, so that I may know You.” Ref. 33:13
3. Submit to God's leading. “Give up your ways and stand firmly on the path of God.”
4. Hope for God's protection and God's help. (does not relieve difficulties and suffering).

• Seek God's will in the Bible.
• in prayer
• in the advice of other people
• in circumstances

“If you obey the universal will of God, and seek His specific will, then you can follow the desire of your heart.” “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Ps.36:4

If your greatest desire is to serve Him, the Lord will give you the desire of your heart.”

HOW TO DO THE WILL OF GOD?

Jesus is the example—the model of a “relationship of love.”

John 5:17, 19-20. “My Father always works, even to this day.”

-Who does the work?

- How much can the Son do on His own?

- What is the Son doing?

- Why does the Father show the Son everything that He does?

Watch to see what God is doing and join Him!

(Wrong question) What is Your will for me?

— Learn to be a servant of God. Matthew 20:26-28

Worldly definition: What do you want me to do? Goes and does

Biblical definition: Jeremiah 18:1-6

Clay must do 3 things:

- be pliable

- remain in the hands of the potter

(I'm doing something, God is doing something - bless)

God can do everything through us.

“When I see where the Master is, then I know that that’s where I need to be.”

I have come to know God through personal experience when I obey Him and He does His work through me.

7 factors in the process of knowing God through personal experience

1. God is always working around us
2. God insists on a constant relationship of love. “Love cannot be captured, It is she who captures us. The main thing is to put ourselves in an environment where we can be captured by this love.”
3. God invites you to participate with Him in His work.
4. God speaks through the Holy Spirit, the Bible, prayer, the Church, circumstances to reveal His purposes and ways.
5. God's invitation always leads to a crisis of our beliefs that require real faith and actions.
6. You must make big changes in your life to join God in what He is doing.
7. You come to know God through personal experience as you obey Him and He works through you.

What can one person do who wants to do the will of God?

1. The life of the cross is a life of voluntary submission. A Life of Freely Accepted Service.
2. “Submit yourselves to one another in the fear of God.” (Eph.5:21)

Where are the limits of humility? - where there is humility

becomes destructive.

ACTS OF HUMILITY

6. When meeting the despised and the broken-hearted.

7. Humility before the world. The manifestation of our humility is the determination to live as a responsible member of an increasingly irresponsible world.

Look at the list of mistakes that young people make when they want to receive some news from God.

1. In prayer they insist on their own, not allowing God to fulfill His will.
2. They put God within narrow limits.
3. They trust their dreams too much, which sometimes have nothing to do with the voice of God.
4. They consult with dubious people who have no authority.
   1. They listen to the opinions of girlfriends or friends who have no life experience.
5. They do not heed the advice of their parents or hide their intentions from them.
   1. They do not study the Holy Scriptures to know God's orders and counsel regarding premarital relations and choosing a life partner.
6. They go to fortune tellers, turn to horoscopes and astrological tables.
   1. They do not know the voice of God from their own personal experiences, had no close relationship with Him in
      others life situations.

“God will answer, though not always according to our expectations” (E. White, Gospel Workers, p. 258). Don't put God in the narrow frame of your vision, let Him work through your mind or feelings. He will speak to you, just learn to hear Him.

Wise advice. God gave man a mind and a heart, and through them He can communicate, give instructions, and warn of danger.

If we are accustomed to a constant connection with Christ and use it in everyday life, then the voice of God is familiar to us, and we know well how He communicates with us. This must be PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. Some, unfortunately, remember this only in extreme circumstances, get nervous, not knowing how to hear His voice, and make mistakes.

How can God answer?

“Pray in faith, and the mystery of His Providence will bring its answer” (E. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 245). Trust the mystery of heavenly Providence. The Lord Himself will choose the method of answer.

1. God calls to reason, and man must think, analyze,
   compare facts. This is why reason is given to us. “And thine ears shall hear the voice...” says Scripture.
2. God's answer may come from the pages of Holy Scripture.
3. God can speak to a person through people - parents, church ministers, wise and experienced friends, etc. When accepting their advice, you must always compare it with the Word of God.

God gives a special sense of perception if He speaks to a person. Frequent communication with God sharpens the senses, and a special skill in listening to God’s instructions appears. Special sensitivity, developed under the influence of the Holy Spirit, makes a person capable of distinguishing between good and evil, and feeling evil from a distance. This state is described by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 5:14: “The senses are trained by skill to discern between good and evil.” In this case, a person intuitively turns away from evil, bad advice, actions and thoughts.

1. 4. When we study the books of the Spirit of Prophecy, we hear the voice of God. Adviсe,
   reflections and instructions in the writings of E. White can be so close and intelligible
   reveal the danger that threatens us, that it seems the Lord is saying this about me, seeing
   my life. Youth need to study the books of the Spirit of Prophecy in order to be wise in dealing with life's many problems.

Why is it so difficult to know God's will for my life?

This is the question teenagers and young adults most often ask their spiritual mentors.

Why is God's will such an important issue for young people? Because during this period, the most important decisions in life are made regarding career, study, life goals and marriage. Jeremiah 29:11: “Only I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for good and not for evil.”

Many young people are confident that God has a purpose for their lives, but they have no idea how to find out. God's plan is always there, but it is often overlooked, ignored, or misunderstood. Why? Because many people are caught up in misconceptions about God's will. Let's give examples.

1. “God’s will is hidden, and I must search for it for a long time.”

Some people imagine God's will as a hidden treasure or hidden treasure. They think that God is hiding these treasures - His answers to our questions, and if we have not found them, so much the worse for us. But God doesn't play such games with us. He wants to reveal His will to us if we are willing to accept it.

1. “I don’t want to know God’s will because it might not suit me.”

Some are afraid to know God's will. They think that God may require them to join their lives with someone they don't love, or to do things they don't like, such as going into the jungle as a missionary. However, God never intended to make man unhappy. He desires to give us everything we need to satisfy our deepest needs.

1. “I want to do God’s will, but only partially.”

People with such intention and attitude towards God's will will never know it. It's like trying to drive a car with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake. First we say: “Lord, reveal Your will to me.” And then: “I don’t want to do this part, I don’t like it.” If God shows us what He wants from us today and we are not going to follow it, why should He show us what He wants from us tomorrow? We must strive to fulfill all the will of God.

What is the correct position?

“I want to do God’s will, whatever it is!” This is the only approach that will be rewarded with happiness and blessing: I am ready to accept God's will even before it is known to me. This was David's position: “I desire to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is in my heart” (Ps. 39:9).

How to accept God's will?

1. The universal will of God, which applies to all people.
2. The specific will of God that applies to you personally.

God's universal will is clear and undeniable as it is expressed in Scripture. Here are some aspects of universal God's will:

1. Trust in God . This is the most important aspect of God's will, revealed to all: “For this is good and pleasing to God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4). It is useless to talk about any other aspect of God's will until this part is accomplished.
2. Complete Submission to Christ . By trusting in Him, prove your faith in practice: “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy... for reasonable service... Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2 ).
3. Revival and filling with the Holy Spirit . The spirituality of our inner life depends on being filled with the Spirit of God. “Know what the will of God is... be filled with the Spirit” (Heb. 5:17-18).
4. Obedience to parents . God's will for young people today is for them to obey their parents who have Christ in their hearts. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is what justice requires” (Eph. 6:1). Respect for parents makes a person wise. Perhaps young adults cannot always fulfill the categorical demands of unbelieving parents, but there is always a blessing in fulfilling the commandment of respect.
5. Maintain chastity . “This is the will of God, that you abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thess. 4:3). Fornication is sexual relations before marriage. God's will in this matter is very clear to everyone. If you did not know about this before and feel that you have not fulfilled this point of God's will, make a decision to do it now.
6. Share your faith with others. God wants everyone to know His universal will. Tell others about this so that they will not perish without knowing God's message. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

When you fully know and accept God's universal will as revealed in the Bible, you will be in a great position to discover His specific will. And no matter what question is facing you in this moment: marriage, education, work, etc. - you give God the opportunity to reveal His will to you in specific circumstances.

Four Steps to Accepting God's Specific Will

1. 1. Weigh the alternatives.

Choice even in small things is a choice between right and wrong. When you make a decision, you choose either God's will or your own. “Weigh the alternatives” means asking yourself the question: “Who decides what is right and what is wrong in this situation?” It is important to remember that you make your choice not between what you consider to be right or wrong, but between what is objectively so, regardless of your opinion.

1. 2. Compare your choices to God's standards.

Compare your choices to nature and God's standards. The first measure of God's standards is His commandments. Are there specific instructions there that apply to your situation?

Then compare your choices to the universal principles found in the Bible. These principles are embedded in the commandments. For example, the basic principle of the ninth commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness,” is honesty, and is revealed in full force throughout Scripture.

Finally, compare your choices with the Personality of Godhead. All biblical principles lead us to God. In the prayer of Moses, this stage of knowledge of personal or concrete will was clearly expressed: “Therefore, if I have found favor in Your sight, I pray: Reveal Your way to me, so that I may know You” (Ex. 33:13). When you compare a particular choice with the Personality of Godhead, you will understand His will better.

1. 3. Submit to God's leading.

After you have compared your selfish desires with God's absolute standards, you must choose between your way and God's way. No one else can do this for you. You must consciously abandon your ways and firmly take the path of God.

1. 4. Rely on God's protection and help.

When you acknowledge God's leading and submit to His loving guidance, you can count on His protection and help. But this does not mean that your path will now be strewn with roses. Sometimes it's the other way around: when you decide to live by His standards, you experience some discomfort. However, this brings you many blessings, freedom from guilt, uncertainty, complexes. A lot of positive things appear in your life - a clear conscience, calmness, peace in your heart and joy. And most importantly, confidence in the presence of God in your life.

If you obey the universal will of God and seek His specific will for your life, you can follow the desires of your heart, listen to your feelings and act by faith, hoping that if your feelings and desires do not coincide with God's will, then He will let you know about it.

Specific prayer on the path to understanding God's will will open all ways for God to reach your mind and heart. “Thy will be done!”

Each group must find God's universal will for each person.

The Bible's Teaching on God's Guidance

Feeling God's guidance transforms the decision-making process from painful to enjoyable.

Step by step, we will analyze biblical teaching, it will help us understand how to seek God's will in situations that are important to us. Our goal is to lay the foundation on which, within the framework of God's will, we will build the “edifice” of our own lives.

Exercise. Try to decide for yourself what you want to know. Below are a few goals that lecturing will help you achieve. Check the ones that suit you best.

• Develop a biblical worldview on which I can make important decisions.
• Learn to trust more firmly in God, who leads me step by step along the path of life.
• Constantly follow God's will.
• Understand why I have been given certain spiritual gifts and abilities.
• Find the courage to face challenges head-on and take risks when necessary.
• Gain enough wisdom to help others in their time of need.
• Feel free in Christ to become the person He wants me to be.

Write down the three most important issues from those that stand in front of you at the moment.

Write down any specific questions about God's leading that you would like answered as you read this book.

The decision depends 50% on the correct formulation of the question. Formulating a question is not only the first, but also the most important step that helps to find the right answer.

Questions are divided into: 2 categories: main and secondary.

Is there a specific will of God for every situation in life? (Explain your answer)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Lord, what will you have me do?”

Five types of solutions:

Decisions are moral and immoral.

1. Clear Moral Decisions (One Simple Biblical Rule) “Commandments”
2. Complex moral decisions (deliberate combination of two or more moral rules)
3. Questions of a borderline nature (the Bible does not give an unambiguous commandment, leaving Christians a certain freedom of choice).
4. Multicomponent decisions (important personal decisions that affect not only moral categories (what profession to choose, priorities, who to marry, where to go to study, etc.) We are given quite a lot of freedom to choose.
5. Unambiguous immoral decisions (is there a specific will of God in the decision of each specific situation?) God gives us freedom of choice.

Read these passages and mark which solutions they refer to.

Gen.2:15-17 _____________________________________

Luke 7:31-35_____________________________________________

Gen.39:2-12__________________________________________

2 Kings 5:9-19_________________________________

2 Kings 6:1-4_________________________________

God's will is revealed gradually. God does not give His children large-scale revelations about the future, He leads them in small steps, and reveals His will gradually - a little at a time. He gives as much as we can handle.

The Word of God is not lightning, nor searchlight, nor flame, but a lamp. This is a light that illuminates our feet and the part of the path on which we are now walking.

Flashlight. How much light does it give? Just enough to take the next step. Future. As before, it is covered with a veil of secrecy. The beam of light will highlight the next step only under one condition: if you constantly move.

Exercise

Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions:

God's plan______________________________________________________________

God's plan ______________________________________________________________

Vision for the future________________________________________________

Vocation________________________________________________________

God's will ________________________________________________________

Read Exodus 33:12-14

1. What does Moses ask God for? ________________________________________
2. What is God's answer? ________________________________________________
3. How is Moses' request similar to our requests for God's guidance?___________________________________________________________ What new did you learn from God's answer to Moses about God's will?

Scripture and God's Leading

Acts 16:6-40 (God's leading)

Assiah - not allowed by the Spirit

Bithynia – not allowed by the Spirit

God's Revelation - "The Macedonian Man"

The only place in the New Testament where God calls people to serve in a specific area).

How did the ministry in Macedonia begin? (service by the river, Lydia's house) Acts 6:13-15,40

16:16-16, 19-24 (prison), 25, 25-34 – conversion of the prison guard.

Vision is a ray of light pointing to the next step.

God's guidance sometimes manifests itself in small and insignificant things - less clearly than we expect. What a pity that we do not see His finger in insignificant life situations, in the ability He has given us to think and reason.

Features of God's Leading

1 Thessalonians 4:3 The will of God is __________________________

“...for it is the will of God that all people should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.”

______________________________________________________________

What does the coming day have in store for us? (Have in your hand a drawing of your entire future life).

Why doesn't the Lord reveal our future?

• it would prevent you from listening to the voice of God
• would not learn to trust God
• would interfere with the development of our intellect, which God gave us to make decisions.
• We perceive the revelation of Christ much better if we receive it in small portions.

His will is the lamp of our feet, which sheds a ray of light only a step or two forward, but He always gives this light. Every time he takes care of giving us what we need for the next step. We can trust Him to lead a path that is consistent with His plans for all mankind and brings maximum benefit to ourselves.

Which general principle does God emphasize in all these passages?

According to these passages, how should a believer behave?_________________________________________________

The Promise of Guidance

John 1:5 “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not comprehend it.” God takes the initiative and always sheds so much light on our lives that we can accept the right decision.

God takes the initiative into His hands and leads through life the person who opens his soul to His guidance.

God takes the first initiative

1 Samuel 16:1-13

God knows that we, like sheep, have little idea of ​​where to go. But God, despite all our worries, does not abandon us.

A sincere believer perceives God's leading not as a chance to improve life, not as a fact, but as one of the greatest promises of the Bible.

Ps.138. How directly involved does God have in our lives?

Our Role in Doing God's Will

1. We must agree with God's will even before we know it. Only with desire can we more fully understand and fulfill God's will.

Thirst to do God's will

God is sometimes in no hurry to show us His will - He waits until the desire to fulfill it has matured in us.

“If a Christian takes too long to understand the essence of God’s will, then in most cases the problem is that he simply does not want to agree with it.”

The path to knowing God's will:

Promise: Rom.12:1,2 “We know the will of God only by doing.”

Conclusion: “If I want to do God’s will, then I will do it.”

1. It is necessary to fulfill that part of God's will that is already known.
2. We must agree with the alternative that God will offer.

How can I understand whether I want to do the will of God or not?

Try to imagine all possible solutions. If I know for sure. If I agree to any of them, it means that I am ready to follow His will. Don’t think that God will necessarily force you to do the worst option. Your consent only indicates your readiness.

Sometimes we want to know God’s will out of pure curiosity, although we have already made our own choice long ago, i.e. we seek God's will in order to compare it with our own. We seek His will in the hope that He will approve of our decision.

If we are ready to fulfill His every desire, then there is hope of recognizing Him.

(Marriage was given to us not as a reward for our virtues, but to combat our shortcomings). 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

The Role of Prayer

We ask God to grant us the desire to do His will.

Through prayer, God grants us spiritual maturity.

Joshua 9:14 (they did not ask God)

Pray for knowledge of God's will. James 1:5,6

Praying for knowledge of God’s will is our duty, and therefore every believer should set aside time for it.”

Ask God to reveal His will and grant you the desire to fulfill this will, and give you the necessary spiritual strength. This is the essence of prayer for knowledge of God's will.

It is important to listen to God (what God says).

What does the example of Isaiah say about the role of prayer in knowing and doing the will of God?

How can we want to do God's will if it is very different from ours?

Jesus in Gethsemane. Mark 1:32-39 lk. 5:15.16

What can we learn from Jesus' example?

Searching the Scriptures

God takes all the initiative and leads us through life, and therefore our main duty is not to move away from Him. Prayer teaches us to be open to God and His will.

Scripture tells us that God's will must be understood by reason.

It is important not only to understand God’s requirements, but also to see what good awaits us when we fulfill these requirements. Those who seek God's will receive amazing benefits: spiritual growth, fullness of life and awareness of the purpose of life. We can add two more to this list, provided we work smart.

1. Intimacy with Christ. It is good to know that Christ guides us through life, despite all our doubts. But doubts sometimes distance us from Christ! The better we understand His will, the closer we are to Him, and the feeling of closeness has a positive effect on all aspects of a Christian’s life.
2. Sanity. If you do not use your intellect as a guide in seeking God's will, you may go the wrong way, resulting in complex emotional problems.

The role of Scripture in the process of understanding God's will.

God's Word is a beacon. (example, 107). Scripture is the reliable, unchangeable revelation of God's will and purpose for man. The goal of any Christian’s life is to discern where God’s finger is pointing and change the direction indicated.

This is God's promise to those who consider God's law who constantly listens to God's teaching.

Scripture indicates God's will.

1. Scripture helps us understand God more deeply.
2. By reading the Bible, we enter into direct communication with God.
3. Scripture tells us about the law of righteousness.
4. A passage from the Bible can suggest the right decision or confirm a person on an already chosen path.
5. The Bible provides invaluable assistance when praying for knowledge of God's will. (Ps. 143:8-10)

Ps. 1 says that we must meditate day and night on God's Word. Think more often about biblical teaching and think about how it fits into modern life.

We have noted five benefits that regular Bible study gives us. Read the verses and passages below and note what benefits each one describes.

Eph.6:17,18

2 Timothy 3:14-17

2 Peter 1:19-21

Learning to think

Our goal is to follow God's will, and not our desires, which affects our decisions. A Christian needs to clearly understand the essence of God's will as expressed in Scripture.

When the desire is there, there will be opportunities to use your gifts and energies in the name of Christ Jesus. At the moment the doors open, we begin to experience opposition, which makes the open doors seem tightly closed to us. Opportunity is not a promise of easy service.

Understanding God's will meant for Paul to look at things soberly, weigh the pros and cons, and consider which decision would bring the greatest glory to God.

How did Nehemiah decide to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem? (Neh.1:-2:8).

Supernatural Guidance

We instinctively long for God to communicate with us through signs and wonders.

First of all, let's talk about what types of supernatural revelations there are, because each of them requires a special approach. Scripture reveals three main ways in which God communicated to biblical heroes Your will.

1. Direct revelation. God clearly and clearly conveys His will to His servants with the help of visions, signs, dreams, voices, and messenger angels.
2. Prophecy. There are cases in Scripture when God's will reached the heroes indirectly - through an intermediary. Today we call this prophecy.
3. "Spreading wool." The Bible contains stories of people seeking God's will through predetermined signs. Judgment 6 ch. (Gideon).

are looking for God's will, and therefore it is worth talking about this method and the biblical view of it. Our feelings and sensations play a lot important role in the knowledge of God's will, but they cannot be mistaken for the infallible voice of the Holy Spirit. Speaking about them, we should not forget about our sinful human nature.

There are reasons why we should not expect daily revelations from the mouth of God Himself. First, if we consider all the times in which the characters in the Bible were forced to make important decisions, we are struck by how rare direct revelations of God were in the New Testament church. The Lord did not often speak directly to the Apostle Paul. Nowhere does it say that all members of the New Testament Church received direct instructions from God. Conclusion: Supernatural leadership was considered not the norm in the New Testament Church, but the exception.

“Once we receive revelation, we can easily become proud of our spirituality or become passive—no longer making responsible decisions that help our faith grow.”

An exception

There are times when God's direct guidance is simply necessary: ​​for example, when Scripture does not provide a direct answer to a particular question. Most often, miracles help young Christians in the faith who are not yet ready to take full responsibility for the decisions they make.

There are times when God tries to lead us down a path that we are unaware of.

In some cases, God's will went against common sense. Acts 8:26. An angel carried Philip to a deserted road.

God commands Ananias to go to Saul.

God can directly manifest His will for reasons known only to Him.

You should not consider yourself spiritually deficient just because God does not directly intervene in the course of your life. We just need to believe that God will give each of us the insight that will lead us along the path of fulfilling His will, and will lead us in a way that will help us grow as much as possible in the spirit.

“We experienced something, but was this “something” from God? Is there any way to check this?

1. Is the revelation given to you consistent with the Bible? Ask Him to either grant a specific request for help or show Him why you should do this particular thing.
2. It is important to consult with someone.

Prophecies

One of the Christians came up to you and says that God has revealed to him His will regarding your life (his personal life, the Church)

It is necessary to clearly define the place of personal prophecies in the life of the church and every Christian.

Acts 15:36-41. What does this passage teach us? How should decisions be made?

"Gedeon's wool"

Gideon considers himself an insignificant representative of a small tribe, and God's commandment seems incredible to him. Therefore, he asks God to confirm His will with a sign.

Gen. 24 ch. Choosing a wife for Isaac.

The servant is in no hurry to draw conclusions, but pays attention to her.

Lot. (Acts 1:15-26)

But after the Day of Pentecost, lots are not mentioned anywhere in the New Testament. All decisions were made through careful consideration and weighing of all the pros and cons. None of the New Testament heroes seek God's will through predetermined signs.

It is important to God that we learn to make mature, responsible decisions.

Matthew 10:11-14 Luke 14:28-32. Jesus tells us how to evaluate circumstances when there is an important decision to be made.

Jesus says that we must carefully weigh all the circumstances of the case.

Give real-life examples to show how Jesus' advice can be put into practice?

Inner Guidance

1- can be recognized by a strong, urgent feeling that tells you what to do.

2- Negative emotions or “remorse”

Both aspects of inner guidance are characterized by the belief that God communicates with us directly through our senses.

Intuition plays an important role when we need to understand whether we have chosen the right direction or whether we are making the right decision. But Christians sometimes exaggerate the role of intuition, considering it the infallible source of God's revelations.

What does the Bible say?

IN.7:17 …

The Bible does not say that we must rely solely on intuition to know the will of God.

1 Col. 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (path sense inner world will tell you whether we made the right decision).

1 John 4:1 “but test the spirits to see whether they are God” (you need to carefully evaluate the teachings of preachers..)

Rom.14:22,23 “Whatever is not from faith is sin”

(rely on your conscience: if in doubt, better not do it).

The feelings of most of us are so fickle that they cannot be called the only barometer of God's will.

Intuition not only helps us understand what our “secret thoughts” are, but also tells us what our true desires are. My desires are not the last factor in seeking God's will. They show me exactly how God created me, and therefore tell me what to do according to His plan.

Desire is one factor that I have to consider along with many others.

1 Samuel 12:12,13 Ps.29:6,7 2 Cor.1:9 What do all these examples warn us against?

How can they help us?

We start making decisions

How should you think about a decision? How to weigh various factors?

ABC of solutions

Four Godly Factors Involved in the Decision Making Process

What do I feel? Which alternative is best for me?

Capabilities

Do I have the abilities and talents to handle the matter? Is there any hope of developing the necessary abilities?

Circumstances

What opportunities are open to me?

What do people say about my decision? What advice do they offer me?

Big and small solutions

Vocation is a vital matter or important stage In human life. Vocation is not only a person’s profession, but also his family, church, country, hobbies...

A big decision is always connected with the choice of a “calling”, with that matter that occupies an important place in a person’s life.

Small decisions are those decisions that are made within the framework of a large one, i.e. to fulfill a calling. This is a simplified approach, but it can help us understand how various factors influence our decisions.

What to do with desires?

“If we love God, then our desires will coincide with the will of God, but since we are sinners, this often does not work out.

The Bible confirms that Christians have to do things that, at first glance, don’t really appeal to them.

Luke 9:23 The life of a mature Christian is impossible without self-denial.

“God works in us both to will and to do according to His good pleasure.” Phil.2:12,13

(God gives strength to move in the direction of His will). God motivates us to act this way and not otherwise.

By His providence HE creates certain desires within the believer that push the Christian in the direction in which He wants.

“If anyone desires the episcopate, he desires a good deed”

God can show me that I should take a path that I would never choose voluntarily. The main thing is to decide in advance: no matter what happens, I will follow His path.

How can we recognize the essence of our deepest desires? How can we decide which of these desires are most important to knowing God's will?

1. Say your prayers. Discuss your desires with Christ, ask Him to show you which ones are more important. Pray and reflect on your own desires.
2. Look for large-scale desires - those in which there is not only a desire to receive moral satisfaction, but also a sincere desire to help other people. Look for something that will bring you pleasure and will be useful to others.
3. Take action. Any thoughts about business remain thoughts until you start taking practical steps.
4. What does intuition say? (intuition helps us understand our true feelings).
5. Test your desire with time.
6. Ask yourself, “What advice can I give to a friend who is facing a similar problem?” The answer will help you understand your deepest feelings.

But no matter how well you understand your desires, you can never consider them an indisputable source of God's will. They are, of course, very important, but they will not give you an exact answer about the essence of God’s will.

Desires should be taken seriously only after you have carefully considered them along with other factors: your abilities, circumstances, advice from friends...

Samuel 1 and 2. Show how different situations feelings played sometimes positive, sometimes negative role in the life of David?

When did David make a bad decision based on his feelings?

What desires helped him make the right decisions?

Spiritual Gifts

1. Given to every believer. 1 Cor.12:7
2. Spiritual gifts still exist and are not exclusive to the first century A.D.
3. Spiritual gifts are not abilities inherent in this or that person, but manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual gifts are a special work of the Holy Spirit that is accomplished through the believer.
4. Spiritual gifts are given for the edification of the Tea of ​​Christ. (promote the spiritual growth of Church members, help bring non-believers to repentance). In every case, spiritual gifts strengthen the Body of Christ. A criterion that will help determine whether I have a spiritual gift: If my ministry helps other Christians or leads them to Christ, then it is quite possible that I have a spiritual gift.
5. A believer may have more than one spiritual gift. 1 Cor.12:31: 14:1 (to desire “gifts” - plural). It was not gifts that dictated Paul's ministry, but rather Paul used gifts in his ministry.

Not main question: “What is my gift? and “how can I help?” “Serve one another with this gift...Rom.12:3

When should you not rely on a gift?

1. In the community I must do things that help meet the needs of my brothers and sisters.
2. How do you know which gift or ability indicates God's will?

Each of us has many more abilities that we are able to develop. Gifts and abilities are only one of the factors that cannot be discounted,

You need to decide whether you want to develop this or that talent, evaluate your capabilities and consult with others.

1 Peter 4:10 “Serve one another, every one of you, with the gift which you have received...”

There is no Commandment in Scripture to choose a profession based on your spiritual gift.

Rule: choose a profession that you like. God will send me service on this path too. Wherever I am, I will always be a guide God's grace, helping those who need help.

Ex.35:30-36:3

How do personal abilities help people understand the essence of God's will?

List three of your abilities. Do they match the activities you enjoy most?

The doors are open. The doors are closed...

What lies outside of me are external circumstances.

Remember one thing: from time to time external circumstances will play a completely different role - it all depends on what God’s purpose is in this particular case.

If His goal is to strengthen my faith, God will want me to make a decision despite unfavorable circumstances. And if He wants to draw my attention to something that I haven’t even thought about, then He can close all the doors for me, except one.

The question about external circumstances shows how important it is to remain in constant closeness to Christ, how important it is to read the Bible and pray. If we abide in Christ, God will guide our decisions - as promised in Romans 12:1,2

There are two fundamental principles, which help to overcome confusion and more clearly see the indicated finger of God.

When we make “big” decisions (decisions about our life’s work), then circumstances do not play the most important role in knowing God’s will. main role, “a indicating” or “confirming”.

“Indicating” - circumstances can suggest a decision, which should then be checked against other factors, such as desire, abilities, advice from strangers.

The “confirming” role of circumstances - circumstances confirm the correctness of the decision about the essence of God’s will that has already been made, taking into account all other factors.

When making small decisions (in carrying out a big task)

circumstances play a much more significant role.”God preaches a sermon to us every day, framing it in the responsibilities we perform as part of our calling.

Elijah 1 Kings 19:1-8. What conclusions can we draw from the case of Elijah?

Mark 1:35-39. An opportunity for ministry is presented to Jesus, but He refuses it. Why did He do the right thing?

Seeking God's will should not be my private matter, but joint effort Christian. (promotes clarity of thinking). Communication gives us a spiritual stimulus, which immediately affects our thought process. When faced with a “big” decision, it is especially important to reach out to Christian friends and ask their opinion. Communication forces us to think more, even if what was said did not add anything new to our understanding of the problem.

“Listen to advice and accept reproof, so that you may later become wise” (Proverbs 19:20). “... and your success will be through much consultation” (Proverbs 24:6).

But we need to know how to evaluate the recommendations we receive in the light of God's will. The value of advice, in my opinion, is not that it directly shows the essence of God’s will, but that thanks to advice we

We begin to think more actively, look for new alternatives or evaluate old ones in a new way.

(If many people unanimously give the same advice, then this is apparently God's will.)

God sends us advisers so that we can better understand His will, but advice is not a crutch for the lame! We must remember: God wants us to grow spiritually and learn to take responsibility for our own decisions.

(IN different cases should act differently. Much depends on the person seeking advice.

1. Only ask for advice when making vital “big” decisions or ones that require careful thought.
2. How the decision is more important- so to more people please contact.
3. Ask people for advice of different nature, even from those who presumably disagree with you.
4. Pay more attention to the advice of Christians: Christians can more easily understand your spiritual motives.
5. Ask for advice from those who know you well: parents, family members, close friends.
6. Ask for advice from spiritual mentors - a shepherd, a priest, who will help you take a fresh look at the decision you are making.

1 Kings 12:1-19 What mistake did Rehoboam make when seeking advice? What does this incident teach us?

Jethro's Council

How should we treat those who give us advice?

We make a decision

How to take the first step?

(-example: a decision may be made under the influence of a pep talk.) Making a decision is part of a long process of growing in Christ. – take the initiative and find out.

The more we learn about the will of Christ, the less time we spend looking for it in the wrong places.

Growing in Christ means growing into a responsible person. When He sees that we have learned to cope with responsible matters.

Do we feel God's hand or not - He is always next to us and sheds on our path exactly as much light as is needed in order to know His will.

God's will exists not only to be cognized, but also to be affirmed in it.

Eph.5:15-17 “But know what the will of God is.”

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (gifts, service, actions). - specific tools with which God equips Christians to serve Christ.

2 equivalent solutions (One of the alternatives contributes slightly better to the fulfillment of His goals than the other).

The author of the article, Archpriest Mikhail Shpolyansky, passed away to the Lord on April 25 of this year...
... The will of God is the only final criterion of good and evil in this world. Of course, knowing the will of God is a matter of all life and no brief rules it cannot be exhausted. Perhaps, Metropolitan of Tobolsk John (Maksimovich) most fully illuminated this topic among the holy fathers in the book “Iliotropion, or on the conformity of the human will with the Divine will.” "Iliotropion" means sunflower. We will try to offer only the most general scheme solution of this most important issue for the salvation of the soul.

So, the first criterion is Holy Scripture, directly the Word of God. Based on the Holy Scriptures, we can quite clearly imagine the boundaries of God’s will, that is, what is acceptable for us and what is completely unacceptable. What are the difficulties along this path? The paradox lies in its universality, for it is impossible to unambiguously interpret Scripture in each specific everyday case outside the colossal spiritual experience of life in Christ.

The next criterion is Sacred Tradition. This is the experience of the realization of the Holy Scriptures in time. This is the experience of the holy fathers, this is the experience of the Church, which for 2000 years has been searching for the answer to the question of what it means to live, fulfilling the will of God. Some specific temptations are also associated with the book teachings of the holy fathers and elders. The fact is that in most cases the advice of elders refers to to a specific person in the specific circumstances of his life and may change as these circumstances change.

The third criterion is the voice of God in a person's heart. What is this? Conscience. In a sense, we can say that conscience is also the image of God in man. So, it is very important for those who want to live according to the will of God to be honest and sober in hearing the voice of their conscience (the question is how capable we are of this).

Another criterion, the fourth (of course, not diminished in importance, because all points in the circle are equal) is prayer. A completely natural and obvious way for a believer to know the will of God. I'll tell you an example from my life. There was a difficult period for her: there were so many problems concentrated, so much thinking - it seemed that life had reached a dead end. There is some kind of endless labyrinth of roads ahead, where to step, which way to go - it’s completely unclear. And then my confessor said to me: “Why are you wise? Pray every evening. There is no need for any extra effort - say a prayer every evening: “Lord, show me the path, and I will go there.” Every time before going to bed, say this to bow to the ground“The Lord will definitely answer.” So I prayed for two weeks, and then an extremely unlikely event happened in the everyday sense, which resolved all my problems and determined later life. The Lord answered...

The fifth criterion is the blessing of the confessor. Happy is the one whom the Lord allows to receive the blessing of the elder. Unfortunately, in our time - “the elders are taken away from the world” - this is an exceptional rarity. It’s good if you have the opportunity to receive the blessing of your confessor, but this is also not so easy, not everyone now has a confessor. If there is neither an elder nor a confessor, then you can receive a blessing from a priest. But nowadays, time spiritual impoverishment, you need to be quite sober.

The next criterion is advice from spiritually experienced people. This is the experience of the life of a pious person and this is our ability to learn from a good (and maybe negative - also experience) example.

There is also a very important criterion for determining the will of God. The criterion that the holy fathers talk about. Yes, he writes about it Rev. John Ladder in his famous “Ladder”: that which is from God pacifies the human soul, that which is against God confuses the soul and brings it into a restless state.

The eighth criterion is the ability to feel the circumstances of life; perceive and soberly evaluate what is happening around us. After all, nothing happens for nothing.

And another most important criterion, without which nothing else can exist - patience: “... with your patience save your souls” (Luke 21:19). Everything is received by the one who knows how to wait, who knows how to entrust to God the solution to his problem, who knows how to give the Lord the opportunity to Himself create what He has provided for us.

In conclusion, I would like to quote the words of an experienced priest, the fraternal confessor of one of oldest monasteries Rus': “It’s scary to know the will of God.” And in this there is deep meaning, which is somehow frivolously overlooked in conversations about knowing the will of God. It is indeed scary to know the will of God, for this knowledge is a colossal responsibility.
Remember the words of the Gospel: “That servant who knew the will of his master, and was not ready, and did not do according to his will, will be beaten many times; but whoever did not know and did something worthy of punishment will receive less punishment. And from everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and to whom much has been entrusted, more will be required from him” (Luke 12:47-48).
Based on materials from Orthodoxy and the World