How Do We Know God’s Will?

What’s your heart’s desire for the year 2020? As I drive my granddaughters to school in the mornings, we pray over our day and for other concerns or needs we have using memorized scripture passages. In this way, I am attempting to teach my granddaughters to pray biblical prayers.

When we were working on memorizing an example prayer by the apostle Paul from Colossians 1:9-13, I asked my granddaughters to choose from the list of things Paul prayed for the Colossian believers that they would like to pray for themselves. Without any hesitation, the thirteen-year-old answered that she would be filled with the knowledge of his will. I think many of us would have the same heart’s desire. We all want to know what God’s will is for our lives.

By praying biblical prayers, we can be confident we are praying according to the will of God. If we are praying according to his will, then we can be confident he hears us. And if we know God hears our prayers, we can be equally confident he will give us what we petition him to provide (1 John 5:14).

Our scripture today reveals an important element of his will. God’s will is that we warn others by sharing the gospel with whomsoever he gives us opportunity. In 2020, may that be our heart’s desire, and may God give us the desires of our hearts.

Dear Father, as the year is underway, may I use every opportunity you give me to share the gospel in my home, in my school, and in my workplace. Father, please use the Gospel to bring many to Christ so that as they experience a new year in 2020, they can also experience the joys of becoming a new creation in Christ. Amen.

Go Deeper — Read the prayer Paul prayed in Colossians 1:9-13. Which do you want to have more in your life from that list? This year, make a resolution to pray that often to the Lord and jot down any observations.

Read Further — A prayer journal is a great tool to review at the end of each year to see how God has moved in your life, and if your prayers have lined up to his will. Here is an article about how to start a prayer journal.