God's Will: Stripping Away the Myths and Rediscovering the Mystery

Gerald Sitzer's "The Will of God" sheds a fresh and unique light on understanding God's will for our lives as it wisely revisits various aspects of God's will: the nature of calling, the importance of small things, the reality of suffering, living with paradox, the amazing freedom of choice, and the ways God speaks.
Many readers have read and recommended this book because it helps us overcome our misconceptions about God's will and realize that God's grace guides our lives from beginning to end, enabling us to embark on life's journey with confidence.

Although it was a good enough book and well-loved enough, Sitcher went ahead with the revision process with the intention of revising the book once more.
I rearranged the table of contents of the book, moving paragraphs around, and removed about 25 pages of content.
Then, one chapter of the existing book (17.
Delete the first one (everything will be fine) and another one (5th one).
(God's clear command for our lives) was added.
“I think it’s become a better book,” says Sitcher about the revised edition that was completed in this way.

When we have to make big decisions about the future, there is no need to be anxious at all.
There is no need to worry about the terrible possibility that you might miss God's will for your life.
Just do what you already know.
As far as what needs to be made clear, God has already made it clear.
Whether we are doing God's will or not is determined by the choices we make every day—whether we love our spouse after an argument, treat a sullen coworker with respect, volunteer at a soup kitchen, or pray for God's help even when we don't feel like it.
If we have a problem, it is not a lack of knowledge, but an unwillingness to react to what we already know.
---「1.
From "Nobody knows what will happen"

The obsession with finding God's will is largely a modern product and a characteristically Western phenomenon.
I wonder if Third World Christians have such an obsession.
Our confusion is, to some extent, a consequence of life in a postmodern world.
Modern culture influences how we discover God's will.
Just like when we shop at a large shopping mall, we are presented with so many choices that we can become overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices.
We are always running around so busy that it is difficult to make choices that take our whole lives into consideration.
We live in isolation, with few people knowing us well enough to offer wise advice when faced with difficult choices.
These very characteristics of the world we live in—choice, busyness, and isolation—seem to further confuse discerning God's will.
---「3.
Among the "obstacles"

People's view of the Ten Commandments is distorted, as they are seen as prohibitive and restrictive (which they are to some extent) and as outdated and unrealistic (which they are not at all).
I used to look at the Ten Commandments with such suspicion, but now I've changed my mind.
Because I know that my fallen nature absolutely requires constraints, and I also know how much freedom such constraints can give.
The Ten Commandments are not just a set of prohibitions; they also show us how to live a happy and productive life.
The Ten Commandments invite us to pursue a good, noble, and truthful life and to transform God's will into our way of life.
Simply put, the Ten Commandments give us freedom, the freedom to obey.
The Ten Commandments are not the opposite of grace.
Rather, the Ten Commandments are based on grace.
Grace comes before law, and promise comes before demand.
God acts on our behalf before He asks anything of us.
The Ten Commandments merely describe the way of life that grace implies and demands.
---「5.
From “God’s Clear Commands for Our Lives”

The people who touch my heart right now are those who enjoy the process of life and steadily follow their own path.
The world still turns because there are people like that who are always consistent.
I respect pastors who preach diligently every week, students who do their best and submit their homework on time, and managers who strive for their employees' success.
I respect coaches who value their players as much as their records, security guards who take pride in their work, and fellow professors who show up to meetings on time.
It all comes down to our attitude of faithfulness in the little things.
---「6.
From “A Life Faithful to Small Things”

We can not only pray about the future, but also prepare for it.
One of the main ways to prepare for the future is to live well in the present.
It is about working hard in your faith, developing your character, fostering lasting friendships, and becoming a person of faith.
You can further refine your skills, such as computational ability and communication skills, and manage your resources responsibly.
By doing so, we can better prepare ourselves for all that the future demands.
---「10.
From “Preparing for the Future”

How do we discover our calling? Or, as Bichner says, how does our calling discover us? We discover our calling by embarking on a journey.
The journey to your calling is an essential part of the calling itself.
In many cases, when we are young, we do not know our calling.
That doesn't mean we don't have a calling.
Our calling is already within us.
Like a seed sleeping in the ground, waiting for spring to come.
When spring comes, seeds break through the ground.
We must embark on a journey of discovery, driven by a deep sense of calling.
You must follow that path to reach the place God wants you to go.
It is a path that must be followed, but it is not an easy path.
---「12.
From “The Distinction Between Occupation and Calling”

God's will is hidden because we do not understand at any given moment how He works to accomplish His eternal purpose.
God sees from the beginning to the end and governs all aspects.
However, because we enter the story and experience its content as it unfolds, our field of vision is limited.
Our vision only allows us to see a small part of the big picture.
We can certainly believe that God rules, but we don't always know how.
Therefore, it is our calling to rely on His sovereignty, believing that He will ultimately accomplish His glorious purpose.
---「15.
From “Living with Paradox”

I believe that God intentionally hides himself little by little.
He chooses to lead by influence rather than by overpowering or coercing.
He gives us space to move and freedom to respond.
You let us choose for ourselves how we will treat you.
He created each of us as unique beings.
He gave us a heart to feel, a head to think, and a will to decide.
God does not suck us into himself like a giant black hole that can never tolerate separate, independent existence.
In short, we know enough about God to be able to believe in Him.
But I don't know enough to believe it.
God calls us into a relationship with Him, but He never threatens us.

---「17.
From “The Benefits of Suffering”