Wisdom is that spiritual insight that enables you and I to evaluate situations clearly and helps us to utilize what options are available to us. We should use such wisdom to help to eliminate what appears less acceptable. And so we search God’s Word, we ask God for wisdom, for understanding, and also, I think it is profitable for us, as well, to seek advice from others. As we are pondering a decision, as we are pondering what the Will of God might be for us in a certain area, we might approach older, more mature Christians on the matter—those who have gone down life’s road a little further than we have and who, perhaps by their own experience, can give us insight and understanding.

The wise man would say in Proverbs, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety,” Proverbs 11, verse 14. Then he would also say, “The way of the fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise,” Proverbs 12:15.

We should also consult the wisdom that is contained in the Scriptures. Now this is certainly similar to what we have talked about previously in studying and attempting to understand God’s “proclaimed Will” for us. But, He has provided for us in the Scriptures—particularly in the Old Testament, in Proverbs and in Ecclesiastes—great wisdom, great insight there for us, and in the life experiences of one like Solomon, who is perhaps the wisest one who has ever lived. If we look there, in Proverbs, and particularly in Ecclesiastes, Solomon’s life experiences would save us from a lot of trouble—if we would heed his warnings! You see, he tried to find happiness and contentment in the things of this world. And he found that it was like chasing after the wind, that it was meaningless, that it was empty, that it was nothing more than vanity. And his conclusion on this entire matter was this: “Fear God and keep His commandments”—we might insert the word “Will” in the place of the word “commandments”—“for this is man’s all,” Ecclesiastes 12, verse 13.

In attempting to recognize, to understand the Will of God for us, we should also be willing to commit our way to the Lord, as the Psalmist [David] said, Psalm 37, verse 5. [“Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”] Whatever you do, do it for the Lord’s sake, Psalm 37, verse 23. [“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.”] Make your plans subject to God’s Will, both proclaimed and providential. As James says, “If the Lord Wills, we shall live and do this or that,” James 4:15.

Some of the things for us to remember as we are seeking to understand—as we are seeking to identify the Will of God for us—is that the choices that we make may not always be a choice between good and bad, but it may be a choice between good and better. Also, let’s be flexible. God can use us in many different ways. And if we need not make a choice right away, let’s wait for a while. Let’s give ourselves time to grow, to gain wisdom through our prayers, through consulting with others, and so on. And whatever your hand finds to do, do it in your existing circumstances. Do it with all your might!

In that song that Jerry [Fausz] led us in before the lesson this morning, you and I both sang these words in the refrain: “Sweet Will of God, still fold me closer, till I am wholly lost in Thee.” Did you think about those words as you sang them this morning? Did we really mean what we said? Or, are we still holding on in some areas of our life to our own stubborn will, either by not seeking or perhaps not even caring about what the Will of God is for us? Or, perhaps, after seeking and finding what God’s Will is for us, we reject that Will, because it doesn’t fit with what we have decided our stubborn will should be.

Brethren, our goal should be to stand PERFECT and COMPLETE in the Will of God. This was Epaphras’ prayer for the Christians there at Colosee, Colossians 4, and verse 12, that they might stand perfect and complete in the Will of God. [“Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the Will of God.”] And this should be, as I’ve said, our desire, our goal, our prayer. And especially as it pertains to the “proclaimed,” the “revealed” Will of God, and even, as much as possible, in that Will which is His “providential Will” and His “permissive Will.”

Our desire and our prayer must be the same as our Lord’s Who taught us to pray in this wise: “Your Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven,” Matthew 6, verse 10, and Who would say for Himself, “not as I Will, but as You Will,” Matthew 26:39.

Let me point out that seeking and following the Will of God is certainly not always the easiest thing to do. It’s certainly not always the most pleasant thing to do. We just quoted the Words of Jesus when He said to the Father, “not My Will, but Thine be done” [Luke 22:42, King James Version of the Bible]. And His willingness, His desire to submit to the Will of God led Him to a place called Calvary.

Also, Paul’s submissiveness, his willingness to submit to even the providential Will of God, as we read in our text in Romans, chapter 1, his desire to go to Rome—oh yes, Paul will eventually go to Rome about two years after he penned this epistle and talked about his desire in trying to find a way and the Will of God…he went to Rome as a prisoner!