This inductive study is designed to help you better understand God’s will. For the next 30 days read the questions and allow them to spark deeper personal reflection and life change.

Essential for understanding God’s will is recognizing the distinction between two aspects of God. On one hand God’s thoughts, ways, plans and purposes are higher than ours and beyond anything we could imagine (Isaiah 55:8-10). On the other hand God has revealed in His Word what He wants from us.

1. Read Daniel 4:35; Psalm 115:3. What authority and power does God have? Can anyone resist Him? What happens when you try to resist God?
2. Read Psalm 24:1-2; Revelation 4:11. What gives God the right to do as He pleases in heaven and on earth and direct things the way He wants?
3. Read Proverbs 19:21; 21:1. Over whom does God exercise His sovereign direction? Is this still true today? What determines God’s actions?
4. Read Deuteronomy 29:29. What distinction is made in this verse? Why can you only know God’s secret sovereign plan after it happens? What are you accountable for?
5. Read Ephesians 1:11. Does God act randomly? What guides His actions? Who is God accountable to?
6. Read 1 John 2:17. What does this verse imply about choosing to do God’s will? How is this different from His sovereign will that is always accomplished (Ephesians 1:11)?
7. Read Psalm 139:16. What does this verse indicate about God’s plan for your life? If God’s sovereign plan is secret, what can you do to discover it?
8. Read Romans 2:18. How do you know what God wants of you? How is this different from His secret sovereign plan?
9. Read Ephesians 5:15-17. In this passage you are commanded to understand the will of God. Does this apply to God’s secret sovereign will? What are you able to understand?
10. Read Ephesians 5:17-21. What examples are given in this passage for following the command to understand and do the will of God?
11. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:18. What is explicitly said to be God’s will for you? Do you always do this? How is this will different than His secret sovereign will?
12. Read 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-4. Is it God’s moral will that each person believes on Christ and has eternal life? What are the implications of this?
13. Read Colossians 1:10. What steps can you take to know God’s will better? Why is it essential to know God’s moral will in order to be pleasing to Him?
14. Read James 4:13-16. What kind of attitude should you have since you don’t know what God’s sovereign plan is for your life? Does this attitude characterize your life?
15. Read Proverbs 9:10; 11:2. What attitudes are necessary to obtain wisdom to make good decisions? What attitudes characterize you?
16. Read Mark 12:28-31; Colossians 3:17. What is God’s will for your attitudes? What other attitudes are mentioned as God’s desire for you?
17. Read Proverbs 3:5-6; Deuteronomy 29:29. What do these verses prompt you to do continuously even though you don’t know God’s future plan for you? How can you do this more?
18. Read Ephesians 5:15-17; James 1:5. God tells you to make wise choices. Since you don’t know His plan for your life, what are ways you can get wisdom?
19. Read Proverbs 2:4-6. What is the source of the wisdom we need for daily life and decisions? What is the prerequisite to obtaining it?
20. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. What is your final complete authority for what you believe and how you behave? What steps can you take to know Scripture better?
21. Read Joshua 1:8. What does this verse tell you to do and what does it promise? What steps can you take to do this more?
22. Read 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Corinthians 10:31. What is God’s will for all your life goals? How do these verses provide guidance for your life?
23. Read Ephesians 5:15-20; Colossians 4:5. Do you live your life wisely and in a spiritually opportunistic way? What is God’s will for the way you live your life?
24. Read Acts 2:23; 4:27-28. What is said to have determined Jesus’ betrayal by Judas and His subsequent crucifixion? Who determined what would happen?
25. Read Romans 4:14-15. If you disobey the revealed will of God in Scripture you sin. But what about where there is no command given, do you sin then?
26. Read Romans 14:14, 20. What are two things that should govern your freedom where the Lord gives you freedom to choose wisely? What is a modern example of this?
27. Read Proverbs 11:14; 13:20. What is another source of wisdom for making decisions? What kind of counsellors should you consult if you want to make choices pleasing to God?
28. Read Nehemiah 2:11-16; Luke 14:28-32. What did Nehemiah do in order to obtain the wisdom needed to make a decision about rebuilding Jerusalem? Why is research important?
29. Read 1 Corinthians 7:36-39. Apart from one command for believers, we have freedom to choose our marriage partner. What then is the basis for deciding whom you will marry?
30. Read Acts 15:28; Philippians 2:25-26. How did Paul make decisions where there was no direct command from Scripture? What guided and governed his thinking?