God's Will

The Lord's Prayer[1], given by the Lord Himself as the example of what all true disciples are to ask for, contains the request that “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Surely this means that man is to seek to know what God desires and then to do it. Not only the Bible but all the other standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price—even the Church's Articles of Faith—support this commandment. So how does an individual know what is God's will? Why is it so important?

How to Obtain and Do God's Will

Pray to Know the Will of God

Paul also gave an example when he prayed for the Colossians and did “not cease to pray for [them], and to desire that [they] might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (1:9). Most Latter-day Saints pray daily to know the will of God because they understand its importance even in relatively small things. However, most faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ don't stand in the aisles of the supermarket and pray over each purchase. They depend on the Holy Ghost to warn them if they are about to do something dangerous, such as buy poisoned toothpaste.

Obtain God's Will Through the Holy Ghost

Latter-day Saints know to expect the Holy Ghost's help through latter-day revelation. Doctrine & Covenants 124:5 says, “For it shall be given you by the Holy Ghost to know my will.”

Do God's Will with All Your Heart

Latter-day Saints are a passionate people—filled with love, devotion, respect, and reverence—toward spiritual things. They try to heed Paul's counsel to the Ephesians to do “the will of God from the heart” (6:6).

Do God's Will with Confidence, Patience, and Hope

Hebrews 10:35–36 says to “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Through latter-day revelation, Members of the Church of Jesus Christ believe that this promise is another word for hope. This hope gives them the confidence, patience, and cheerfulness so needed in the modern world today.

Importance of Doing God's Will

Blessings and Promises For Doing the Will of God

You Will Recognize True Doctrine

Christ claims that anyone who does the will of God will be inspired to receive and recognize true doctrine. John 7:15–17 says, “And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” Latter-day scripture affirms this by saying, “But unto him that keepeth my commandments I will give the mysteries of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life” (Doctrine and Covenants 63:23). This scripture—and the myriad others which support the same idea—is particularly significant to members of the Church of Jesus Christ. Millions of converts have joined the Church because they were honest and sincere in their efforts to do God's will.

Your Prayers Will Be Answered/Petitions Following God's Will Are Granted

The Apostle John in 1 John 5:14–15 says, “And this is the confidence we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. And if he know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” Latter-day Saints believe that prayers of the faithful are always answered in some way: No, Yes, or Not now. They also believe that when they ask something in harmony with the will of God, they always receive it, hence the importance of knowing what God wants.

You Will Abide Forever

1 John 2:17 says, “he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” Latter-day Saints believe that every person has always existed and will continue to exist, at least in spirit form. They also believe that all people born on earth will be resurrected and receive again their physical body. However, this scripture in John probably refers to abiding in the sense of abiding with God—and that happens only to the faithful and obedient.

You Will Inherit the Earth Eternally

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ believe that when Christ comes again for His Millennial reign—”when the day of transfiguration will come“—"he that endureth in faith and doeth [God's] will, the same shall overcome, and shall receive an inheritance upon the earth” (D&C 63:20). The restored gospel of Jesus Christ teaches that those who valiantly obey God in every thought, word, and action will be rewarded with a literal home here on earth forever.

You Will Be Counted as Christ's Family

Christ tells us, “For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, my sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:50). Latter-day Saints consider to be counted as Christ's family is a blessing in itself because they love him tremendously.

Curse for Not Doing God's Will

“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way .” (Deuteronomy 11:26–28). Because Latter-day Saints believe that disobedience will result in rejection and separation from God eternally, they seek to be diligently obedient and when, through weakness, they fall short of the mark, they repent and hasten to make up for any negligence or wrong-doing.