You’ve prayed it hundreds of times: “Thy will be done.”
But if someone asked you to define God’s will in three sentences, could you do it?
Most Christians can’t.
They know they’re supposed to seek it, do it, and submit to it.
They’ve heard sermons about finding it.
They’ve wrestled with decisions, wondering whether they’re in it or outside it.
But ask them to articulate what God’s will actually is, and the answers get vague fast.
This vagueness creates problems.
People become paralyzed making decisions; afraid any choice might violate God’s will.
Others assume their desires automatically align with God’s will if they pray enough.
Still others treat God’s will like a cosmic scavenger hunt where they search for hidden clues about which job to take or whom to marry.
Scripture doesn’t present God’s will as mystery requiring special revelation to decode.
It presents God’s will in clear categories: His sovereign will that always happens, His moral will that is revealed in Scripture, and His specific guidance for individual decisions.
So, understanding these distinctions transforms the question from “What is God’s will?” to “Which aspect of God’s will am I asking about?”
God’s Sovereign Will: What He Decrees
Definition and Scope
God’s sovereign will (also called His decretive will) encompasses everything that happens.
Nothing occurs outside what God has either directly caused or permitted to occur.
This includes good events and evil events, human choices and natural processes, historical developments and personal circumstances.
Ephesians 1:11, English Standard Version (ESV)
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.”
God “works all things according to the counsel of his will.” Not some things. All things. His sovereign will is comprehensive.
How God’s Sovereign Will Works
God’s sovereignty doesn’t eliminate human responsibility or reduce people to puppets.
Scripture affirms both divine sovereignty and human agency without explaining how they coexist.
Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery through their sinful choice. Yet Joseph later told them, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20).
Both human evil intent and divine good purpose were genuinely present.
Acts 2:23, Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
“Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him.”
Jesus’s crucifixion fulfilled God’s predetermined plan. Yet the people who crucified Him were “lawless” and genuinely guilty. Divine sovereignty and human guilt coexisted.
Why This Matters Practically
You can’t violate God’s sovereign will. Whatever happens is within His sovereign purposes.
This doesn’t mean everything that happens is good or right.
It means God is working His purposes even through evil He doesn’t approve of morally.
This should produce:
Confidence: Nothing catches God by surprise. Your circumstances aren’t accidents.
Humility: God’s ways are higher than yours. You can’t always understand His purposes.
Submission: Fighting against what God has allowed is futile. Accepting it with faith is wise.
God’s Moral Will: What He Commands
Definition and Scope
God’s moral will (also called His preceptive will) encompasses everything He commands in Scripture.
This is His revealed standards for how humans should live. Unlike His sovereign will which always happens, His moral will is often violated.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, New International Version (NIV)
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God.”
Paul explicitly states what God’s will is: sanctification, sexual purity, self-control. These are moral commands that can be obeyed or disobeyed.
How God’s Moral Will Is Revealed
God’s moral will isn’t hidden or mysterious. It’s revealed comprehensively in Scripture. You don’t need special revelation or supernatural signs to know God’s moral will. You need to read the Bible.
Micah 6:8, New King James Version (NKJV)
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”
God has shown what’s good. His requirements are revealed, not hidden.
Romans 12:1-2, English Standard Version (ESV)
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Discerning God’s will involves mind transformation through Scripture. As you’re renewed by God’s Word, you discern His will.
Major Categories of God’s Moral Will
1. Salvation
2 Peter 3:9, Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
“The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”
God desires all people to repent. This is His moral will. Yet not all repent, showing His moral will can be resisted.
2. Sanctification
Holiness is God’s will. Every command in Scripture reveals aspects of the holy life God wills for believers. Sexual purity, honesty, love, generosity, humility, self-control, and countless other virtues constitute His moral will.
3. Thanksgiving
1 Thessalonians 5:18, New International Version (NIV)
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Gratitude in all circumstances is explicitly stated as God’s will.
**4. Submission to Authority
1 Peter 2:13-15, New King James Version (NKJV)
“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
Submitting to governing authorities (when they don’t require sin) is God’s will.
Why This Matters Practically
Most questions about God’s will are already answered in Scripture. Should you lie to get ahead? No, God’s will is honesty. Should you sleep with your boyfriend? No, God’s will is sexual purity. Should you harbor bitterness? No, God’s will is forgiveness.
Stop searching for hidden will when Scripture clearly reveals God’s moral expectations. Obey what you already know.
God’s Individual Will: His Specific Guidance
Definition and Scope
God’s individual will (sometimes called His will of direction) addresses specific decisions Scripture doesn’t explicitly address. Should you take job A or job B? Should you marry person X? Should you move to this city or that city?
These questions aren’t answered by direct commands in Scripture. Both options might be morally acceptable. Yet God can guide you toward specific choices.
How God Provides Individual Guidance
1. Through Wisdom
James 1:5, English Standard Version (ESV)
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
God grants wisdom for decisions. Wisdom considers circumstances, consults Scripture’s principles, seeks godly counsel, and makes prudent choices.
2. Through Desires
Psalm 37:4, Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”
As you delight in God, He shapes your desires to align with His purposes. Your sanctified desires often indicate His direction.
3. Through Circumstances
Proverbs 16:9, New International Version (NIV)
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
God opens and closes doors. Circumstances often reveal direction without requiring supernatural intervention.
4. Through Peace
Colossians 3:15, New King James Version (NKJV)
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
God’s peace can confirm direction. Persistent unease despite prayer might indicate wrong direction.
5. Through Counsel
Proverbs 11:14, English Standard Version (ESV)
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
Godly advisors provide perspective you lack. Seeking counsel is wise, not spiritual weakness.
What God’s Individual Will Isn’t
God’s individual will isn’t:
A cosmic treasure hunt: You don’t search for hidden clues He’s deliberately concealing.
Only one acceptable option: Often multiple choices please God. He gives you freedom within moral boundaries.
Knowable with 100% certainty beforehand: You walk by faith, not sight. Sometimes you choose the best option you can discern and trust God to redirect if needed.
Requiring supernatural signs: God can use signs but doesn’t promise them. Mature faith operates primarily through wisdom, Scripture, and sanctified judgment.
Why This Matters Practically
Stop being paralyzed by fear of missing God’s specific will.
If you’re walking in obedience to His moral will (Scripture), seeking wisdom, consulting godly counselors, and praying for guidance, you can make decisions with confidence.
God is more committed to guiding you than you are to being guided.
If you choose poorly within moral boundaries, God is sovereign enough to redirect you. His sovereignty doesn’t depend on your perfect decision-making.
How These Three Wills Work Together
God’s sovereign Will determines what happens. His moral Will determines what should happen. His individual Will guides you in what should happen to specific choices.
Example: You face a decision about which job to take. God’s sovereign Will determines which job you’ll ultimately take. His moral Will rules out jobs requiring sin.
His individual Will guides you between morally acceptable options through wisdom, desires, circumstances, peace, and counsel.
You submit to His sovereign Will by trusting His control. You obey His moral Will by following Scripture. You seek His individual Will through wise decision-making informed by prayer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I’m in God’s will?
If you’re obeying Scripture (God’s moral will), you’re in His will regardless of circumstances. If you’re trusting His sovereignty and seeking His guidance for decisions, you’re pursuing His will appropriately.
What if I make the wrong decision?
If you sinned, confess and repent. If you made poor choice within moral boundaries, trust God’s sovereignty to work even your mistakes toward His purposes. He’s not limited by your imperfect decisions.
Can I miss God’s will for my life?
You can disobey His moral will through sin. But God’s sovereign will includes your disobedience and His redemptive response. He works all things together for good (Romans 8:28), including your failures.
Does God have one specific person for me to marry?
Scripture doesn’t teach there’s only one person you could marry. God’s moral will establishes marriage principles. Within those principles, you use wisdom to choose. Multiple people might be suitable spouses.
How specific is God’s individual guidance?
It varies. Sometimes God gives very specific direction. Often He gives general guidance through wisdom and expects you to decide within that guidance. Don’t demand more specificity than God chooses to give.
What about when I feel nothing after praying for guidance?
Feelings aren’t reliable indicators. Use wisdom even when feelings are absent. Make the best decision you can with available information. God’s guidance often comes through renewed mind (Romans 12:2), not mystical feelings.
Prayer for Understanding and Submission
Sovereign Lord, Your will operates on levels I struggle to understand. You decree what happens while commanding what should happen. You guide individually while granting freedom. Help me trust Your sovereignty when circumstances confuse me. Help me obey Your revealed moral will consistently. Help me seek Your individual guidance wisely without demanding certainty You haven’t promised. Make me humble enough to accept Your ways are higher than mine. Make me confident enough to make decisions within Your moral boundaries without paralyzing fear. Transform my desires to align with Yours. Grant wisdom for decisions Scripture doesn’t explicitly address. Use circumstances, counsel, peace, and sanctified judgment to guide me. When I choose poorly, redirect me. When I sin, forgive me. In everything, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
References
Friesen, G., & Maxson, J. R. (2004). Decision Making and the Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View. Multnomah Publishers. [Christian Decision-Making]
Packer, J. I. (1973). Knowing God. InterVarsity Press. [Systematic Theology]
Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. NavPress. [Bible Translation]
Strong, J. (2010). Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Hendrickson Publishers. [Reference Book]
Willard, D. (1988). The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives. HarperOne. [Spiritual Formation]
