Page 129 - First Steps 2023

The disciple shares with the discipler.
Devotion Check In

Share with your discipler your responses to the devo-
tions you completed as you prepared for this session.
Share what you discovered.

Both share.

A Conversation About God’s Will
Here’s the thing: You already know a
great deal about God’s will, about who
he intends for you to become and what
he wants you to do.
God hasn’t been shy about sharing his expectations. From the Ten

Commandments to the prophets to Jesus’ teachings to Paul’s books of
advice—there’s no shortage of general guidance about God’s will.
But what we disciples want to know is God’s specific will for us as
individuals.
Who, exactly, should you marry? Which apartment should you rent?
What job does God want you to pursue?
You can’t look those answers up in the Bible, and it’s exactly those
sorts of decisions we’d like God to speak into. We aren’t sure how to
know what God wants us to do and, truth be told, we may wonder at times

if God even cares about those details.
The answer is: He does care. He cares a great deal, because not only
is it his nature to be loving, but you’re his child.
And nobody takes better care of his kids than God.
Today, as you move through this outline, you’ll discover that God’s will
is best understood in the context of a loving relationship.

1. Your relationship with God.
People think of God in many different ways: as distant, involved, au-
thoritarian, loving—there’s a long list of options. Your relationship—or lack
of relationship—with your biological father may color your take on your

128