Kenya is considered a Christian country. Most people acknowledge the existence of God and practice some form of religion. Among them are many professing Christians who don’t know what it really means to be a believer. Thus it isn’t uncommon to hear people conclude talk about their future plans and hopes with the expression, “God willing.”
It isn’t uncommon to hear Kenyans conclude talk about the future with "God willing."
For some, it’s a way to sound religious. For others, it’s little more than a cliche, Christian speak. For only a minority is it more than some kind of spiritual punchline or full-stop.
It is my hope that every Christian find themselves in that last group. And in order to do so we need to examine not only the expression “God willing” but the will of God.
What Is the will of God?
The will of God can simply be understood as what God wants and orders to happen.
Theologians typically speak about two kinds of the wills of God.
- The first one is his preceptive will. This refers to what God reveals to us in his commandments, his precepts, and how we ought to obey God for his glory and our good. In fact, Jesus says that we prove that we love him if we obey his commandments (John 14:15).
- The second will of God is called the decretive will of God. This describes God’s sovereignty, how he controls all that comes to pass (Ephesians 1:11).
God has made his will plain to us.
God has made his will plain to us. That is, his preceptive will (the first, above). He’s told us what he desires from us in the Bible. However, his decretive will (the second, above) is not something we’ll ever fully know.
In other words, when we plan for the future and pursue our hopes, we should do so in accordance with the will he has revealed to us as precepts, the overt biblical standards. This is obedience. But when we do that we don’t know what God has decreed or what overarching purpose God has in mind. For that we must trust.
In his outstanding book, Trusting God, Jerry Bridges describes well the reality of not knowing what the future holds. He writes, “Someone has described life as like having a thick curtain hung across one’s path, a curtain that recedes before us as we advance, but only step by step. None of us can tell what events a single day or hour may bring into our lives.”
Thus, when we say “God willing”, it isn’t necessarily because we know God’s will, but that we trust him to work it out.
God’s decretive will
On almost every page of the Bible we see that God drives history towards its end to accomplish his purposes (Isaiah 46:10; Proverbs 16:9; Lamentations 3:37; Daniel 4:35). He isn’t caught off guard. His will cannot be thwarted. Perhaps the greatest example of this comes at the crucifixion, though this might surprise some.
From the human standpoint, it’s easy to conclude that Jesus’ crucifixion was the express will of man. However, Peter demonstrates that God’s decretive will was being accomplished, even in that most terrible moment.
“Truly in this city,” he preached, “there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your (God's) hand and your plan had predestined to take place” (Acts 4:27-28).
God didn’t make the best of a bad situation.
Jesus’ crucifixion went according to God’s plan and purposes. According to his decretive will. God didn’t make the best of a bad situation. No, Christ came to seek and save sinners, sovereignly ordaining every point that led to his death on the cross (Acts 2:37-41; 3:11-21; 10:34-48).
It is by finding confidence in God’s control over all things that we can conclude our plans and future hopes with the expression “God willing.”
The truth behind “God willing”
Believers use the expression “God willing” appropriately when they know and trust in the character of God. They acknowledge that God is the one who meticulously ordains all that comes to pass and whose plans cannot be thwarted (Job 42:2).
Christians don’t only use these words for those plans that are good and pleasant. They should turn to these words when staring adversity in the face or pleading with God for deliverance. Even in our worst moments, the truth remains; God works all things for good with those who love him (Romans 8:28).
Jesus entrusted himself to the will of God because he knew his character.
Just look at our Lord, before his crucifixion, praying in Gethsemane. He pleaded that God would remove the cup of wrath from him. Jesus begs the Father to be spared the cross. Remarkably, being God he knew the Father’s decretive will. He was desperate to avoid it, but submitted himself to the will of God (Matthew 26:36-46). Why? Jesus entrusted himself to the will of God because he knew the character of God.
From cliche to confidence
Dear Christian, do you know that when you say “God willing” you’re surrendering yourself fully to the sovereign will and rule of God for the future you can’t see? Do you:
- Believe those words as you utter them?
- Functionally live them out, acknowledging that God drives history?
- Begrudge what happens in the situations when you prayed for another outcome?
- Dread to use those words, fearing how God might act?
Consider heart motivations that drive you to use those words. Ask yourself if they align with and acknowledge God’s character. But whatever else, stop using the phrase flippantly.
Stop using the phrase flippantly. Instead, use it with full assurance.
Instead, use it with the full assurance that comes through knowing God and knowing that nothing happens outside of his will. As someone else has said, God’s sovereignty is a pillow on which God’s people lay their heads to rest, knowing that our heavenly Father runs the universe, with both power and wisdom.
Originally published by TGC Africa. Republished with permission.
Sharon Mueni is a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church. She is passionate about biblical counselling and currently pursuing an MA in Biblical Counseling at Central Baptist Theological Seminary. Sharon enjoys deep, heartfelt conversations; listening to podcasts; reading good books; and hearty laughter. She also has her own blog.
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