Discovering God's Will

I talk with people daily who affirm that "there is a purpose for everything," that "God has a plan for me."  But, most often, they go on to say something like, "But I just don't know what it is" or "I wish I knew what God's will for me was."  I am amazed at how many believers have doubts about what God will is for them.

The people I work with are usually elderly and are living in their last days on earth, but they most often don't understand what God's plan or purpose is for them at this point.  Most seem to relate their "productive years," back when they were raising a family and gamefully employed, as a time when their purpose was clear.  But without those responsibilities, there is no clear purpose.

Really?  Is that God's will for us - that we get a job and have a family?  I know that having a job is important in order to provide the resources for life and having a family is key to providing relationships in life, but are those things to be equated with His will for us?  What if we don't have a family and/or have lost our job?  What happens when we are too old and frail to work or provide for a family?  Is that it?  Have we moved beyond the possibility of fulfilling the will of God?

How can we even know what God's will for us is?  We can listen.  God has told us in the biblical text.  We are to "work with our hands" (1 Thess 4:11) and "provide for our families" (1 Tim 5;8) but even the ungodly do that.  As Jesus said, "even those who are evil know how to give good gifts to their children" (Matt 7:11).  

God's will for us is found in how we go about being productive and raising our families and beyond: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess 5:16-18).  God's will is that, in all things, we rejoice in His presence, trust in His power, give thanks for His provisions.  

When we live like that, whether in the child-bearing years or hard of hearing years, we are in the center of His will for us and the Spirit of Christ will be evident in our life.  This is God's will for us.  Jus' Sayn.