Called to Clarity: Living Within God’s Will (Part 2 of 3)
What would change if you truly knew where God was calling you? How would your priorities shift? What distractions would fall away? This blog series is for anyone who has longed for answers to those questions. Whether you’re at the beginning of your ministry journey or decades into service, the call of God brings clarity—and clarity brings courage.
The Blessing of Walking in Step with God’s Purpose
There’s something incredibly freeing about knowing you’re right where God wants you to be. You stop second-guessing. You stop striving. You stop living by comparison. Instead, you begin living with peace, purpose, and quiet joy. When your life aligns with God’s calling, everything changes—even if your circumstances don’t.
You no longer feel pulled in a dozen directions because your heart is anchored. The approval of others holds less power because the voice that matters most has already spoken. And the work you do—whether seen or unseen—feels meaningful because it flows from the One who made you.
That’s what it means to live in the blessing of alignment with God’s will. It doesn’t mean the road will be easy. But it does mean you’ll never walk it alone. When your steps match His direction, even the ordinary becomes sacred. And in a world that runs on distraction, you become grounded in divine focus.
In this three-part series, we’re exploring what it means to live with certainty of purpose in a world full of noise and uncertainty. In Part 1, we turned to Morris Venden’s book How to Know God’s Will in Your Life, which reminds us that calling is not found through formulas or fear—but through friendship with God. When we begin to grasp His voice, the path ahead becomes less overwhelming, and more deeply rooted in peace.
Venden helped us recognize that God’s will isn’t about deciphering riddles or tiptoeing a tightrope. It’s about walking day by day in relationship with Him. When we embrace that reality, the fog starts to lift. The next right step becomes visible. And we find ourselves, at last, walking in sync with divine purpose.
In this post, we will look at some more insights provided by another gospel minister of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Carl Coffman lived a dedicated and powerful life of service. In his book, The Thrill of Living Within God’s Will, he shares insights from his many years of experience in living a life devoted to the calling of God and responding to His will.
A Deeper Look at Carl Coffman’s Wisdom
In The Thrill of Living Within God’s Will, Carl Coffman invites readers into a deeply human and heartfelt journey of learning to live within God’s guidance—not perfectly, but purposefully. This book doesn’t promise instant answers or lightning-bolt revelations. Instead, it offers something far better: a steady, quiet confidence that builds over time as we walk with God.
The book opens with a relatable truth—many of us are unsure how to discern God’s will. We might long for direction but feel unsure how to even ask the question. Through years of pastoring, teaching, and personal experience, Coffman shares how he gradually came to understand God’s calling in his life—not through big moments, but through small steps of obedience.
Each chapter builds on the last, gently showing that clarity doesn’t usually come in a flash, but in layers. In Chapter 1, Coffman reflects on Proverbs 3:5–6, reminding us that God’s direction only becomes clear when we let go of our own plans and learn to trust Him fully. It’s not about getting God to bless our roadmap—it’s about handing Him the pen.
In the section titled “Ten Revealings of God’s Will,” Coffman emphasizes that God never forces His will. He offers it. And the Ten Commandments, far from being a restrictive list, are described as a moral compass—protection and guidance for a life of alignment with His purpose.
Later, Coffman walks readers through how God speaks—sometimes in miracles, but often through whispers. He shares how discernment requires quietness and consistency, and how God often confirms His direction through providence and peace more than dramatic signs. He also encourages the use of Scripture in a very hands-on way, teaching readers how to build “trigger texts” and “text clusters” to better hear God’s voice through His Word.
Perhaps one of the most powerful parts of the book is Coffman’s reflection on surrender. He shares his own prayer: “I lay all my plans at Thy feet.” For anyone holding tightly to dreams, ambitions, or fears about the future, this chapter speaks with compassionate clarity. Coffman doesn’t present surrender as giving up, but as opening up—to something far better than we could script ourselves.
The final chapter, “Doing God’s Will—The Acid Test,” sums it up beautifully. We don’t truly know God’s will until we begin living it. The test isn’t theory—it’s obedience. And the reward isn’t ease—it’s peace.
Ultimately, The Thrill of Living Within God’s Will shows that the Christian life is not meant to be directionless or confusing. It’s meant to be guided—step by step, prayer by prayer, with a deep and growing trust in a very personal God.
So if you’ve been unsure, overwhelmed, or just longing for clarity, this book is an excellent resource. Coffman doesn’t point you to a destination. He points you to the Guide.
Let this be the week you slow down, get quiet, and ask God—not just what He wants you to do, but who He’s calling you to be. The journey to discovering your calling begins in stillness.
And the thrill of it all? Knowing that, even now, you are being led.
To Those Called to Heal, Teach, and Lead
If you serve in medicine or ministry, in education or administration, then you already know what it means to pour out your life in service to others. But even those in service can find themselves uncertain. Sometimes we stay busy to quiet the question: Am I doing what I was actually called to do?
Carl Coffman’s words speak powerfully to those of us navigating both spiritual leadership and vocational responsibility. They remind us that clarity comes not by figuring everything out at once, but by taking one obedient step at a time.
Whether you’re walking hospital halls, preaching from pulpits, coordinating community efforts, or mentoring young leaders—God’s desire is not just to work through you. He wants to walk with you. His will for your life is not just professional—it’s deeply personal.
You are not expected to carry this calling alone. You were never meant to. The same God who called you is faithful to equip you, to sustain you, and to lead you deeper into the very purpose for which you were born.
An Invitation to Lean In
Although the author has long since passed away, when I spoke with his surviving family, they have permitted the reproduction of PDF copies of this resource for personal, non-commercial use. Thus, a copy of the book is included at the end of this post for personal use and download.
If your heart has been stirring as you read, that may be the voice of God gently inviting you to pause and lean in. You don’t need a five-year plan to begin. You just need willingness. Willingness to seek, to listen, and to trust.
Here are a few ways to engage more deeply this week:
- Find a quiet place — and ask God one honest question: What have You created me to do that only I can do in partnership with You?
- Open the Word — and let it read you. Start with Proverbs 3:5–6 or Isaiah 30:21.
- Revisit Coffman’s words — slowly. Let them become part of your devotional rhythm, not just reading material.
- Write a prayer of surrender — Even if it’s one sentence. Especially if it’s hard to say.
God’s voice is not buried in mystery. He promises to guide. He promises to speak. He promises to walk with you—and He never breaks a promise.
Start today. The call has already been given. And the joy of your life may just be waiting on the other side of your “yes.”
Because the greatest thrill is not in knowing all the answers—but in knowing the One who’s calling your name.
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