Are we seeking God's will or God himself?

Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." –James 4:15

It is easy to read this verse and to think that this verse is just talking about words. You could say that James just wants us to talk about God’s will, like we are putting God’s approval upon our plans. But this isn’t what James is talking about. When we look at the verses around this one verse, we see that James is referring to people who are boasting in their own plans, rather than trusting in God’s plan. This is especially true in America today, where we simply separate out God’s will into some different area of our lives instead of really applying it to all of our lives. We try to have control of everything, from when we’ll have kids to the exact day that we will retire without really seeking God through prayer, Scripture, and godly wisdom.

Let me be clear that I am not discouraging planning. God does not want us to just ‘wing’ everything. However, a little trust wouldn’t hurt anyone here. We could all use more discipline in seeking God’s will.

But while we’re talking about God’s will, let me caution you here too. I do believe that we are to seek God’s will in our daily decisions and for major guidance in our lives. I’m just concerned that all too often we seek God’s will without seeking God. We want more of God’s blessings and more of his wisdom to keep us from falling flat on our faces, but if we’re really seeking him, then maybe it begins when we are flat on our faces, humble before him and longing to know him for who he is. My guess is that if we are truly seeking God in all that we do, we won’t have any trouble seeking God’s will.