5 Ways to Discern God's Will for Your Life

Have you ever struggled with discerning what God has called you to do in this life?Growing up, I thought calling was just another word for career. So, in middle school, my little misguided self determined that I would be a pediatric oncologist when I grew up. Not only would I be helping others, but I would make enough money to live quite comfortably, too. This had to be “the call”, right? Wrong. Calling has less to do with our decision making and more to do with a lifelong pursuit of the Father’s heart. We tend to over complicate things when we lose sight of this. As we fight to keep God at the forefront of our lives, His will for us will start to be made clear.Here are five ways to discern God’s will for your life:

1. Live in obedience to what you already know to be true. God’s will for His children is quite clear in His word. (Ephesians 5:15-20 ; Luke 9:23 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 11:5-18 ; Romans 12:1-21). Immerse yourself in Scripture. Saturate your mind with it.
2. Remember: God comes first. Always. Take a good, hard look at your decision making as of lately. Did you make these decisions from a desire to reflect the heart of God or to make yourself happy in the moment? When we live with the understanding that this life is not about us, we will come to not only know the Lord, but also who He has purposed us to be. (Matthew 10:39)
3. Listen. (John 10:27) Here’s a truth you’ve heard a time or two: prayer is vital for our spiritual health. It is impossible to discern the will of God without it. Treasure it with your whole heart. Tell Him what you're concerned about, then meditate on these things and listen to what He has to say. You will find more clarity simply from sharing your heart with Him compared to searching for answers in your head. I don’t know about you, but the moments God floods my heart with His wisdom are some of the very moments I crave the most. If I don’t carve out the time to tune in, I certainly miss out on the things God desires to show and tell me. I want to know the One who calls be my name and has purposed me in His Kingdom-come plan for this world! Don’t you? Be in constant conversation with Him.
4. Seek counsel. God has gifted us with wise counselors and He declares in His word that we listen to them carefully. (Proverbs 11:14) Whether it be a mentor, spouse or close friend, reach out to someone whose input you trust and value. Conversations with godly advisors can be instrumental in discerning where God is leading you.
5. Consider your giftings (1 Peter 4:10 ; Romans 12:6-8). The Father has gifted us in the ways He has for a reason. In other words, how He has gifted you is a significant part of how He has called you. Seek out opportunities to use these gifts- in your job, your relationships, volunteer opportunities, and etc. “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31, ESV), and you’ll be doing God’s will.

Friends, God became one of us, took on suffering and sacrificed His very life for us so that we could experience the primary purpose of our existence — to know Him, to love Him and to make His name known. God defined Love by His actions. He loved us to the point of death and secured a path for our ultimate fulfillment—eternity with Him—through His death on the cross. May we come to deeply know and truly love the One who first loved us! May we make His name known and whisper His hope into a world that so desperately needs it- ours. 

Meet Elle

Emily Lauren Cardel (Elle) lives in Shelbyville, TN with her hubby and best friend Michael, as well as their four-legged fur child, Tucker. She is fiercely passionate about chasing the call of her Creator and constantly finds herself in awe as she watches His vision for Daughter of Delight continue to unfold. In addition to Daughter of Delight, Elle also owns her own wedding planning business, Elle Cardel Events.

In her free time, Elle enjoys doing all the things; spending quality time with her besties, snuggling on the couch with Michael and pup, four-wheeling and playing with the cows on the Cardel family farm, listening to podcasts, writing, and drinking Fair Trade coffee in its purest form…black!

You can find her on Instagram here and join the Daughter of Delight family here.