When the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the church at Ephesus he issued this sober warning, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17). The question that so many struggle with just what is “the will of the Lord?”
For many folks the will of the Lord is confused with their own will. They want God to grant their every request, from health to wealth, and when He does not meet their demands they blame Him and often turn from Him. God is not a “Genie in a Bottle” just waiting to grant our every wish. He is also not to blame when our prayers are not answered the way we want.
We like to think of God and His will as something that can be altered by prayer and we try to soften the blow to our disappointment by saying that God answers “Yes,” “No,” and sometimes “Not right now.” But it may be possible that we over-think the correlation between our prayers and God’s will.
Twice in the New Testament we are told specifically that folks prayer that the Lord’s will would be done (Acts 21:14; 1 Corinthians 4:19). And notice that in both of these passages the request was simply for the Lord’s will, nothing more and nothing less! Once we are told to leave our request at the feet of the Lord’s will (James 4:15).
So what exactly is the “will of the Lord?” Simply put God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). He proved that by sending His only begotten Son to die for our sins (John 3:16). He has given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). Our sole purpose then should be to fear Him and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13) and study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15). He will bless those who seek Him and those who don’t will be cursed.