As teenagers search spiritually, most of them want to know God’s will and plan for their lives. I became a Christian when I was a teenager. Back then, I was consumed with the question, “What does God want from me?” Because I had people-pleasing tendencies, that was a huge concern.
Once God opened my spiritual eyes to the truth that He is a personal be“ing and has authority in my life, then the next logical question was: How do I make God happy? But I quickly became confused about seeking out the answer because I assumed God had one plan. One purpose. One use for me. My mission was to seek out God’s will and do it.
I also assumed I would know God’s will by having this absolute confidence. I thought that’s what people were describing when they said, “I have a peace about this decision.” The “peace” seemed to indicate that they had rejected all other possibilities and locked their eyes and heart onto one and only one possible course of action (whether it was about dating, finances, educational decisions, etc.).
What I found out years later is a freeing and sometimes scary reality. God doesn’t have a plan.
God’s Will Is Actually Three Wills
If you’re a youth leader for more than a minute, then a teen will ask you, “What does God want me to do?” Here’s where you have the awesome and gut-wrenching responsibility to walk with a teen. Teach kids that God doesn’t have a single plan for their life.
Will is a desire, purpose or determination, especially of one in authority. We typically say God’s plan or purpose instead of God’s will. Whatever you call it, confusion exists among Christians about what we’re actually talking about when we talk about God’s will.
Leslie Weatherhead, a Methodist-trained pastor, provides a clear description of God’s will by dividing it into three concepts:
- The intentional will of God—God’s ideal plan for humans
- The circumstantial will of God—God’s plan within certain circumstances
- And the ultimate will of God—God’s final realization of his purposes
Let’s take a deeper look at these and see how each relates to teens seeking God’s will for their life. To dig deeper into each concept, we’ll reflect on God’s will as it relates to Jesus. Then we’ll apply it to the practice of spiritual direction with teens.
Three Parts of God’s Will for Our Lives
1. Intentional Will
Weatherhead writes: It was not the intentional will of God, surely, that Jesus should be crucified, but that he should be followed. If the nation had understood and received his message, repented of its sins and realized his kingdom, the history of the world would have been very different. Those who say that the Crucifixion was the will of God should remember that it was the will of evil men. (The Will of God; Chapter 2)
