Answering God's Call

God's Will, Tested and Approved

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 

The will of God is described in Romans 12:2 as “good, pleasing and perfect”. God’s will always is the best solution to every single situation we are in, at least from God’s perspective. This is to say that God has best intentions for us. If we seek the will of God in every situation, it would benefit us. 

We don’t normally have difficulty with appreciating how God’s will benefit us. It is already assumed that since God’s wisdom is unfathomable, He knows exactly what is best for us. Our difficulty lies in discerning what God’s will is for specific situation. A student surrounded by cheating classmates will find it normal to cheat during examination. An employee that has very low work ethics don’t struggle with God’s will even if he reports to work late or bring home few office pens and papers. Both never had second thoughts on whether what they’re doing is the will of God or not. 

This is where the renewing of the mind is essential. We have been saturated by the influences of the world that we are dictated by it. There must be a change in the way we think and make our judgment. Living out the principles of the Bible will carry out such transformation. 

Also, if you listen carefully to what Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, God has actually placed upon each of us the burden to test and approve the will of God. The Bible tells us the principles of God; it is our basis to know what He wants. Therefore, if we grow our roots in the Bible, we can discern what God wants for specific situations. We do not look to the world to dictate to us what to do. God’s Word is our manual for living. 

If faced with an ethical dilemma, allow the Word of God to shape your thinking. Once this is set, you will realize how much you have changed. Now, you can clearly test and approve the will of God for your specific situation.