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The Will of God
The phrase the will of God is used loosely, says Leslie Weatherhead, and the consequence of that looseness to our peace of mind is serious. Weatherhead's recognition of this problem led him to write The Will of God, a classic that has helped more than a million grieving persons better understand the meaning of the phrase. It can help you as well. It was during the tumultuous era of World War II that Leslie Weatherhead preached five sermons on understanding the will of God for the congregation at City Temple in London. These sermons became the classic book The Will of God, which has helped hundreds of thousands of Christians explore how God's will is related to God's character and ultimate intentions for us. A six-week workbook study is also available that uses three case studies to illustrate the questions that arise in understanding the book #9780687008407.
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First published January 1, 1944
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About the author
Leslie D. Weatherhead
74 books16 followersLeslie Dixon Weatherhead was an English Christian theologian in the liberal Protestant tradition. Renowned as one of Britain's finest preachers in his day, Weatherhead achieved notoriety for his preaching ministry at City Temple in London and for his books, including The Will of God, The Christian Agnostic and Psychology, Religion, and Healing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 6, 2009
Having read this book four times and used it in an Adult Sunday School class about three times I can recommend it to anyone who questions outcomes in life that seem to be outside the will of God. Weatherhead clearly explains the three wills of God that he calls God's Intentional Will, God's Circumstantial Will, and God's Ultimate Will. His explinations and examples are clear and to the point. They will bring you to that Ah-ha moment of insight.
April 19, 2016
Very interesting and thought-provoking book on the will of God. The author divides the will of God into three categories: intentional (only wishing good, like the love of a parent for a child), circumstantial (taking into account that something bad has happened because of sin or people's actions and what God wants you to do about it), and ultimate will (that is God using the bad events that were not in his intentional will for his ultimate purpose). So if a small child dies or some terrible injustice occurs, he explains that is not necessarily a part of God's intentional will but due to some other circumstance like evil, sin, war, but it is a part of his circumstantial will in that He allowed it to happen under the circumstances. It explains so much and gives great examples and really brings back the concept of personal responsibility, which sometimes seems to go missing in religion and Christianity. It is not God's will for children to go hungry or die in wars or many of the other horrors that people blame on God. I really loved this book, this could definitely be a life-changing book.
"when the storm is raging it is too late to talk about the anchor that should have been put down before the storm began." page 10.
"He who hides in an idea about God which is not true will, in the hour of real need, be left as comfortless as atheism would leave him." page 22.
"by doing the circumstantial will of God we open up the way to God's ultimate triumph with no loss of anything of value to ourselves." page 32
"if we do faithfully that which we see to be the will of God in the circumstances which evil thrusts upon us, we can rest our minds in the assurance that circumstances which God allows, reacted to in faith and trust and courage, can never defeat purposes which God ultimately wills." page 46
"It is one thing to say, "This evil has been done. How can I win good from it? it is another thing to say, "I will deliberately do evil in order to win good from it." page 53
"when the storm is raging it is too late to talk about the anchor that should have been put down before the storm began." page 10.
"He who hides in an idea about God which is not true will, in the hour of real need, be left as comfortless as atheism would leave him." page 22.
"by doing the circumstantial will of God we open up the way to God's ultimate triumph with no loss of anything of value to ourselves." page 32
"if we do faithfully that which we see to be the will of God in the circumstances which evil thrusts upon us, we can rest our minds in the assurance that circumstances which God allows, reacted to in faith and trust and courage, can never defeat purposes which God ultimately wills." page 46
"It is one thing to say, "This evil has been done. How can I win good from it? it is another thing to say, "I will deliberately do evil in order to win good from it." page 53
October 5, 2009
Now that I have read this book, I will never look at events in the same way. It was life-changing.
January 6, 2010
If you wonder where God is in the midst of your pain, joy, ambivalence...read this book!
March 16, 2012
The Will of God, by Leslie D. Weatherhead (1893-1976), was written in 1944 and at only fifty-six pages long (my old publication), it remains a classic in helping to get one's thinking right about this subject. The book is actually a series of five sermons given at a very difficult time in England, "relevant to these days of loss and sorrow," yet also relevant to our current time of war and despicable world events.
Weatherhead says the phrase is used too loosely; often, after some horrible tragedy, someone will say, "It is the will of God." Weatherhead then offers a logical thought process which in essence says that one should not identify the will of God as something for which a man would be locked up! He argues that there are three distinct kinds of will:
The intentional will of God, the circumstantial will of God, and the ultimate will of God.
The confusion arises when we do not make the necessary distinctions about God's will. He gets right to the point: (1) "Was it God's intention from the beginning that Jesus should go to the Cross?...No...He came with the intention that men should follow him, not kill him. The discipleship of men, not the death of Christ, was the intentional will of God..." (2) "But when circumstances wrought by men's evil set up such a dilemma that Christ was compelled either to die or to run away, then in those circumstances the Cross was the will of God, but only in those circumstances which were themselves the fruit of evil." (3) The ultimate will deals with God's omnipotence. God cannot be finally defeated. Not "everything that happens is his will, but...nothing can happen which finally defeats his will."
The intentional will is about God pouring himself out in goodness and Wetherhead says "one of the first things we must do is to dissociate from the phrase 'the will of God' all that is evil and unpleasant and unhappy... [W]e must come to terms with the idea that the intentional will of God can be defeated by the will of man for the time being. If this were not true, then man would have no real freedom at all." Weatherhead spoke of many horrors of life, strongly declaring, "And if you say...'this is the will' of God, I say to you... blasphemy...these things spell a greater atheism than any verbal arguments man has devised...Call these things evil, call some of them inevitable evil because of widespread sin, but don't call them the will of God." (Leslie Weatherhead was clearly no wimp with these statements.)
He also confirms the idea that the "laws of the universe, which are themselves an expression of God's will, were not set aside for Jesus" on the Cross. And while he explains that well, he ducked the obvious question about the resurrection defying the laws of the universe, or all the miracles of the Bible not in accordance with the laws of nature, at least the laws where scientific knowledge exists. (A principle of wisdom: We don't know what we don't know.) In charity to Weatherhead, to discuss that subject here would have been tangential to his main points of this sermon series (which I have observed is a problem with sermons: Major theological questions go unexplored, in the interest of time no doubt, but are nonetheless used to support a point being made.)
Weatherhead gives several clarifying examples of the most difficult aspect, circumstantial will—the baby falling out of a five-story building, cancer, and germs, wondering about the evolutionary function served. It is the intentional will that man be in good health, but "let every sufferer...realize that if he makes the right reaction to these circumstances [of disease] the ultimate will of God will be reached as effectively as if he had not been ill. God would not allow cancer if of itself it had the power to defeat him."
Weatherhead acknowledges that it is difficult to explain; that it seems "casual of God to allow these things to happen if they are not his intention" but he also says that Jesus did not say, "I have explained the world." He did say, "I have overcome the world."
He offers this thought about seeing in a mirror darkly: "Frankly, hard though it be to say so, it is a lack of faith not to be able to bear the thought of anything that God allows." My guess is Weatherhead would have been an advocate of "tough love" and I kept thinking of "Job" when I read this book long ago, and again in recent years.
God's ultimate will, in spite of our attempts to work mostly for our wills, is "the redemption of man." He seeks our choosing him. "The omnipotence of God...does not mean that by sheer exhibition of his superior might God gets his own way. If he did, man's freedom would be an illusion...No 'end' which God has in mind can be imposed from without; for his end, the at-one-ment of all souls with him, must come from man's choice of God's way, not the impression of God's will in irresistible might which leaves no room for choice." Weatherhead calls the exercise of that kind of deterministic power, "a confession of weakness."
Speaking to the time, Weatherhead says, "These are days full of loss and pain, of suffering and sorrow. But they are not days of waste...They are the fruit of the whole world's sin." And we are not to despair since, one day, we may find that we are sadder at our despair than any experienced loss. He obviously speaks of the need to trust in spite of contrary evidence.
Discerning the will of God is an easily recognized problem—the jihadists behead infidels in the name of their version of God and Fred Phelps pickets soldier's funerals in the name of what, I don't know. (And I'm not conflating the two examples suggesting a relative evil.) Weatherhead suggests the following in helping us discern the will of God: Conscience, common sense, advice from a friend, reading great literature plus the Bible, consulting the church, the Holy spirit that he refers to the "inner light." He also acknowledges severe dangers with any of these but then asks, "Do I really want to discern God's will, or do I want to get his sanction for my own?...This is what I'm going to do. Please approve, because I want so badly to do it." Frankly, the whole gay marriage issue came to mind when I read that. He then asks, "Have I got the courage to do God's will when I discern it?" Figuring out the will of God is one thing; doing the will is quite another.
Weatherhead sees "In his will is our peace," for these reasons: (1) We lose the fear of getting lost. (2) The dread of responsibility for what happens is removed. Weatherhead is suggesting a deontological ethic (Kant). Do the right thing, under God's guidance, and God will deal with the consequences. This is as opposed to utilitarianism or consequentialism which suggests that the ends justify the means. (3) In God's will, man's conflicts are resolved. Weatherhead speaks of the value of conflict and the weakness of indecision but then says a guiding principle is "I will do God's will as far as I can see it." My interpretation of his bottom line message in this section is, "Fear not," and "Trust and obey" as therein lies man's peace. I know a few people who have this kind of inner peace; and for the record, they are mostly older women. I don't know what that implies....
Theologian Albert Outler once said, "What God asks of us is determined by who He is." Working on both elements of that aphorism is therefore a rather important project for the Christian.
Of course, none of this matters if you don't believe in God; or you do believe in a god of some sort, but a weak-willed god.
Weatherhead says the phrase is used too loosely; often, after some horrible tragedy, someone will say, "It is the will of God." Weatherhead then offers a logical thought process which in essence says that one should not identify the will of God as something for which a man would be locked up! He argues that there are three distinct kinds of will:
The intentional will of God, the circumstantial will of God, and the ultimate will of God.
The confusion arises when we do not make the necessary distinctions about God's will. He gets right to the point: (1) "Was it God's intention from the beginning that Jesus should go to the Cross?...No...He came with the intention that men should follow him, not kill him. The discipleship of men, not the death of Christ, was the intentional will of God..." (2) "But when circumstances wrought by men's evil set up such a dilemma that Christ was compelled either to die or to run away, then in those circumstances the Cross was the will of God, but only in those circumstances which were themselves the fruit of evil." (3) The ultimate will deals with God's omnipotence. God cannot be finally defeated. Not "everything that happens is his will, but...nothing can happen which finally defeats his will."
The intentional will is about God pouring himself out in goodness and Wetherhead says "one of the first things we must do is to dissociate from the phrase 'the will of God' all that is evil and unpleasant and unhappy... [W]e must come to terms with the idea that the intentional will of God can be defeated by the will of man for the time being. If this were not true, then man would have no real freedom at all." Weatherhead spoke of many horrors of life, strongly declaring, "And if you say...'this is the will' of God, I say to you... blasphemy...these things spell a greater atheism than any verbal arguments man has devised...Call these things evil, call some of them inevitable evil because of widespread sin, but don't call them the will of God." (Leslie Weatherhead was clearly no wimp with these statements.)
He also confirms the idea that the "laws of the universe, which are themselves an expression of God's will, were not set aside for Jesus" on the Cross. And while he explains that well, he ducked the obvious question about the resurrection defying the laws of the universe, or all the miracles of the Bible not in accordance with the laws of nature, at least the laws where scientific knowledge exists. (A principle of wisdom: We don't know what we don't know.) In charity to Weatherhead, to discuss that subject here would have been tangential to his main points of this sermon series (which I have observed is a problem with sermons: Major theological questions go unexplored, in the interest of time no doubt, but are nonetheless used to support a point being made.)
Weatherhead gives several clarifying examples of the most difficult aspect, circumstantial will—the baby falling out of a five-story building, cancer, and germs, wondering about the evolutionary function served. It is the intentional will that man be in good health, but "let every sufferer...realize that if he makes the right reaction to these circumstances [of disease] the ultimate will of God will be reached as effectively as if he had not been ill. God would not allow cancer if of itself it had the power to defeat him."
Weatherhead acknowledges that it is difficult to explain; that it seems "casual of God to allow these things to happen if they are not his intention" but he also says that Jesus did not say, "I have explained the world." He did say, "I have overcome the world."
He offers this thought about seeing in a mirror darkly: "Frankly, hard though it be to say so, it is a lack of faith not to be able to bear the thought of anything that God allows." My guess is Weatherhead would have been an advocate of "tough love" and I kept thinking of "Job" when I read this book long ago, and again in recent years.
God's ultimate will, in spite of our attempts to work mostly for our wills, is "the redemption of man." He seeks our choosing him. "The omnipotence of God...does not mean that by sheer exhibition of his superior might God gets his own way. If he did, man's freedom would be an illusion...No 'end' which God has in mind can be imposed from without; for his end, the at-one-ment of all souls with him, must come from man's choice of God's way, not the impression of God's will in irresistible might which leaves no room for choice." Weatherhead calls the exercise of that kind of deterministic power, "a confession of weakness."
Speaking to the time, Weatherhead says, "These are days full of loss and pain, of suffering and sorrow. But they are not days of waste...They are the fruit of the whole world's sin." And we are not to despair since, one day, we may find that we are sadder at our despair than any experienced loss. He obviously speaks of the need to trust in spite of contrary evidence.
Discerning the will of God is an easily recognized problem—the jihadists behead infidels in the name of their version of God and Fred Phelps pickets soldier's funerals in the name of what, I don't know. (And I'm not conflating the two examples suggesting a relative evil.) Weatherhead suggests the following in helping us discern the will of God: Conscience, common sense, advice from a friend, reading great literature plus the Bible, consulting the church, the Holy spirit that he refers to the "inner light." He also acknowledges severe dangers with any of these but then asks, "Do I really want to discern God's will, or do I want to get his sanction for my own?...This is what I'm going to do. Please approve, because I want so badly to do it." Frankly, the whole gay marriage issue came to mind when I read that. He then asks, "Have I got the courage to do God's will when I discern it?" Figuring out the will of God is one thing; doing the will is quite another.
Weatherhead sees "In his will is our peace," for these reasons: (1) We lose the fear of getting lost. (2) The dread of responsibility for what happens is removed. Weatherhead is suggesting a deontological ethic (Kant). Do the right thing, under God's guidance, and God will deal with the consequences. This is as opposed to utilitarianism or consequentialism which suggests that the ends justify the means. (3) In God's will, man's conflicts are resolved. Weatherhead speaks of the value of conflict and the weakness of indecision but then says a guiding principle is "I will do God's will as far as I can see it." My interpretation of his bottom line message in this section is, "Fear not," and "Trust and obey" as therein lies man's peace. I know a few people who have this kind of inner peace; and for the record, they are mostly older women. I don't know what that implies....
Theologian Albert Outler once said, "What God asks of us is determined by who He is." Working on both elements of that aphorism is therefore a rather important project for the Christian.
Of course, none of this matters if you don't believe in God; or you do believe in a god of some sort, but a weak-willed god.
September 17, 2024
It's amazing how something from WWII can be so relevant today. It's a different perspective and I truly appreciate the theology. It's like a breath of fresh air and resolved a lot of my inner turmoil.
July 8, 2017
This theologian (who write through the 1930's and 40's) writes of his perspective on the will of God, that there is the intentional will of God and when that is thwarted, the circumstantial will of God and always the ultimate will of God. Discerning the will of God for us is kept real here - with many suggestions for signposts and supports along our daily way.
In one brief section he asserts that part of God's intentional will for women is to bear children and be linked with a partner but when that doesn't happen, there is the circumstantial will for their well-being that comes into play (having contentment in other things) and though I agree with his premise that women's bodies are designed to have children, I believe that we have moved, with God's blessing, to women enjoying the full compliment of their gifts and skills without feeling they are compensating for what they don't have (children) - this brief section of the book spoke to me of his age and the culture in which he wrote. I decided to put that to the side and stay open to the continued thinking he shared through the rest of the text and I was very glad I did.
I have gained new insights into this challenging topic. It is a brief text, clearly written and is very well edited.
In one brief section he asserts that part of God's intentional will for women is to bear children and be linked with a partner but when that doesn't happen, there is the circumstantial will for their well-being that comes into play (having contentment in other things) and though I agree with his premise that women's bodies are designed to have children, I believe that we have moved, with God's blessing, to women enjoying the full compliment of their gifts and skills without feeling they are compensating for what they don't have (children) - this brief section of the book spoke to me of his age and the culture in which he wrote. I decided to put that to the side and stay open to the continued thinking he shared through the rest of the text and I was very glad I did.
I have gained new insights into this challenging topic. It is a brief text, clearly written and is very well edited.
September 6, 2023
This book was chosen intentionally at this moment in time where my wife and I are making serious decisions and changes in our collective future, in hopes that they are the will of the Father. This book laid out a pretty good and informative description of what God's will is and ways in which we can discern it. His major point is the separation of the will of God into three distinct categories; Intentional Will of God, Circumstantial Will of God, Ultimate Will of God. His main issue is that people often confuse these different "wills" of the Lord, and thus wrongly attribute events to Him.
The author for the most part is sound in his reasoning, but he takes scripture out of context and blatantly disregards it while making other assertions. Still though, I recommend the read for those wanting to discern the will of the King in their lives, at least as a starting point in the subject. It certainly cleared up what is often a very foggy and subjective issue for me. It is also quite a short book and can be read in one sitting if that is the desire.
The author for the most part is sound in his reasoning, but he takes scripture out of context and blatantly disregards it while making other assertions. Still though, I recommend the read for those wanting to discern the will of the King in their lives, at least as a starting point in the subject. It certainly cleared up what is often a very foggy and subjective issue for me. It is also quite a short book and can be read in one sitting if that is the desire.
January 23, 2012
One of the most frequent questions I have and get asked is, how do you know the will of God? "The Will of God" by Leslie D. Weatherhead is a practical book on the subject. The book has the pastoral touch as it collects five sermons delivered in London, England during World War II. With illustrations relating to any time period, the book is accessible to those that would like clarity on the day-to-day walk with God. Less than 100 pages, the book highlights the "intentional, circumstantial, and ultimate" will of God with chapters on discernment and living at peace. Those looking to plum the theological depths of the issue will not like this book. I plan to keep a few on my bookshelf for those looking to begin a conversation on how one might know the will of God.
May 2, 2023
Written during WW II and clearly from another time -- comment that God's intention is for women to be married and have children will be controversial today in some circles. Overall, very useful in explaining the will of God to those who often are troubled about why bad things happen.
January 31, 2018
Good book, but had some fire quotes.
"Come with me to some slum home in the dark back streets of a huge city, where men's lives and services are means to other men's ends, where there is disease of body and distortion of mind, where evil festers and grows in sordid and terrible conditions, where men have not even the spirit to rebel, but accept their lot with a listless apathy that is more terrible than a revolution. And if you say concerning those stunted lives, "This is the will of God," I say to you that that is a greater blasphemy than the denial of the Holy Trinity. Industrial oppression, selfish greed, the denial of God's gifts to his own children because of the greed of a few, the horror of war--these things spell a great atheism than any verbal arguments man has devised. We turn back a hundred years and wonder that Christian men could sign humans to God while slavery was rife. But, lease God, a hundred years hence or descendants will turn back and become incredulous that we ever called ourselves by the name of Christ when his body was torn asunder in ur churches, trampled on in our streets, exploited in big business, left to disease when medical knowledge and skill were within reach the human family, and mutilated by bombs and burning steel we dropped on one another's cities. Call these things evil, call some of them inevitable evil because of widespread sin. but don't call them the will of God."
"Come with me to some slum home in the dark back streets of a huge city, where men's lives and services are means to other men's ends, where there is disease of body and distortion of mind, where evil festers and grows in sordid and terrible conditions, where men have not even the spirit to rebel, but accept their lot with a listless apathy that is more terrible than a revolution. And if you say concerning those stunted lives, "This is the will of God," I say to you that that is a greater blasphemy than the denial of the Holy Trinity. Industrial oppression, selfish greed, the denial of God's gifts to his own children because of the greed of a few, the horror of war--these things spell a great atheism than any verbal arguments man has devised. We turn back a hundred years and wonder that Christian men could sign humans to God while slavery was rife. But, lease God, a hundred years hence or descendants will turn back and become incredulous that we ever called ourselves by the name of Christ when his body was torn asunder in ur churches, trampled on in our streets, exploited in big business, left to disease when medical knowledge and skill were within reach the human family, and mutilated by bombs and burning steel we dropped on one another's cities. Call these things evil, call some of them inevitable evil because of widespread sin. but don't call them the will of God."
December 29, 2019
The Will of God by Leslie D. Weatherhead was recommended to me by a friend who stated that over the years he has referred to its message many times. The book examines the will of God through five sermons explaining God's: intentional will, circumstantial will; and His ultimate will. He then discusses discerning God's will, and lastly, His will is our peace. This is a meaningful and thought-provoking read.
From the Publisher:
During the tumultuous era of World War II, the city of London shattered under unrelenting bombs dropped by Nazi Germany. Millions of buildings were destroyed or damaged, tens of thousands of civilians were killed, and survivors were left to ask: How can this destruction be part of God’s plan? What is God’s will in all of this?
After City Temple in London was reduced to rubble, Rev. Leslie Weatherhead crafted five sermons on understanding the will of God to help his congregation endure religious doubt as their city—and church—crumbled around them. Weatherhead’s sermons were eventually published as The Will of God, a resource that has sold more than a million copies and has been a lifeline for grieving persons seeking to understand God’s purpose for their pain. This revised edition of the classic book includes background information and photos of the historical setting that inspired this book, and a new cover and layout to refresh a timeless message—both for new readers and returning fans.
From the Publisher:
During the tumultuous era of World War II, the city of London shattered under unrelenting bombs dropped by Nazi Germany. Millions of buildings were destroyed or damaged, tens of thousands of civilians were killed, and survivors were left to ask: How can this destruction be part of God’s plan? What is God’s will in all of this?
After City Temple in London was reduced to rubble, Rev. Leslie Weatherhead crafted five sermons on understanding the will of God to help his congregation endure religious doubt as their city—and church—crumbled around them. Weatherhead’s sermons were eventually published as The Will of God, a resource that has sold more than a million copies and has been a lifeline for grieving persons seeking to understand God’s purpose for their pain. This revised edition of the classic book includes background information and photos of the historical setting that inspired this book, and a new cover and layout to refresh a timeless message—both for new readers and returning fans.
February 3, 2022
In this collection of sermons, Weatherhead attempts to make sense of how the will of God plays out in the midst of evil and suffering in the world. He divides the “will of God” into 3 categories – intentional will (His ideal plan for men), circumstantial will (His plan within certain circumstances – arguing that His original intention is frustrated by men’s free will to do evil), and ultimate will (final realization of His purposes). His explanation falls short because his arguments are based on human reasoning and not on the truths God has revealed to us in His Word. Scripture does not speak of God’s will in this way; it speaks of His commanded will (Matthew 7:21, 1 Thessalonians 4:3) and His sovereign will over all things (Isaiah 45:7, James 4:13-15). He repeatedly argues that when Jesus came it was not with the intention of dying on the cross but having men follow him, and the cross was made necessary by men’s disobedience; the idea that redemption could have been accomplished without the cross is opposite to what is clearly taught in Scripture (see Acts 4:27-28) and completely misses the point of Jesus’ coming. Ultimately, the attempt to absolve God from supposed wrongdoing in His sovereignty over all things results in a God who is forced to change His plans because of the actions of men, and cannot give the comfort that comes from trusting in the all-powerful, all-wise, and perfectly righteous God of the Bible.
August 23, 2025
Someone asked what this book was about. I said, "the will of God." It seemed self explanatory to me. However, the person seemed confused and repeated the query. Maybe not knowing of a God who takes an interest in people and their lives causes this. Maybe knowing the will of an entity not present is more than daunting without an audible in-person conversation. Perhaps the colorful and picturesque cover of the book makes it look like a work of fiction and thus some sort of narrative about the plot was sought. I did not think about that when responding "it's about what the will of God is." This ended the conversation, but as I think about it, I wonder why a book about the will of God is not volumes in length but only 85 pages.
Well, maybe it symbolizes how much of the will of God we can truly know or comprehend. We cannot see the end of it all; though we can read Revelation. In response to our sin condition, His will can be explained quite succinctly as intentional, circumstantial, and ultimate. Each of these points is explained simply with some relatable examples. So if we have faith and follow His will as it is revealed to us, we can be content and feel His peace.
Well, maybe it symbolizes how much of the will of God we can truly know or comprehend. We cannot see the end of it all; though we can read Revelation. In response to our sin condition, His will can be explained quite succinctly as intentional, circumstantial, and ultimate. Each of these points is explained simply with some relatable examples. So if we have faith and follow His will as it is revealed to us, we can be content and feel His peace.
January 13, 2024
Sad to say that Leslie D. Weatherhead is preaching contrary to what the Word of Yah (the Scriptures clearly say!!) I just finished reading his book (Is there more?) I cannot recommend it to true followers of the Way - The Natzirim!! It is not the whole Councel of Yah!! Beware dear brothers and sisters. It is more the broad way that leads to destruction nothing about the Cross the sufferings for our sins or hell! Nothing about obedience to the written Word of Yah. Yes he does quote and picke some verses to fit his theories - most of what he writes is "his opinion" as he clearly says, no where in the scripture is the evidence of what "he thinks" he quotes Plato and other people out of scripture - wisdom of men if you will.
November 2, 2017
While not entirely without problems, Leslie Weatherhead's book is a clear and direct exploration about what Christian's mean when we talk about God's will. It generally fits within a Wesleyan-Methodist theology, although Weatherhead himself is more aligned with 2oth c. Liberal Protestantism than classical Methodism. Not entirely without problems, it is nevertheless an incredibly helpful book worth wrestling with. If nothing else, it should compel readers to be more specific about what we mean when we say, "That's God's will."
June 9, 2020
I’m sure people could nitpick Leslie D. Weatherhead based on different theological views, but that shouldn’t take away from the truth offered in this book.
This book offers a perspective shift. It provides a framework for seeing just how good our God is even in the worst of situations. Job 42:1 tells us that no purpose of God’s can be stopped, and this book gives insight on just how that looks, and what that might mean.
I’m grateful to serve a God who is in control of all things, and I’m thankful for the works of Weatherhead to remind me of that!
This book offers a perspective shift. It provides a framework for seeing just how good our God is even in the worst of situations. Job 42:1 tells us that no purpose of God’s can be stopped, and this book gives insight on just how that looks, and what that might mean.
I’m grateful to serve a God who is in control of all things, and I’m thankful for the works of Weatherhead to remind me of that!
August 23, 2022
Dated but a classic Sermons for his congregation living in London in the midst of the Blitz. Their church was destroyed, it was war. You take that into account, but I didn't know whether to be amused or irritated with his illustrations and examples of women's role in the will of God was to be wives and mothers, the inability to fulfill that high calling by not marrying or bearing children. Gender was a huge stumbling block, though there were points of merit.
What brief resource could replace this classic? Suggestions?
What brief resource could replace this classic? Suggestions?
August 28, 2022
Leslie Weatherhead wrote this book during the dark times of World War II. Like today, he addressed a congregation of people who were exhausted, angry, and frightened. Whether the tragedy is economic, political, social, or personal, Weatherhead’s words ring true. “No evil circumstances can ever befall us but we can find in them a path which is God’s way for us just then.” If you are a Sunday School teacher, this should be your next study. If you are just a regular person trying to figure out God’s will for your life, this should be your next book.
May 17, 2021
There is much to like about the thoughts expressed but maybe it was the language that stopped me from engaging with the book. At times I found it a little dry. It is interesting in the way that the Will of God is described in different aspects but there were also some things when I felt that I didn't see things the same way. I don't think I have read much about this aspect of discerning the will of God and so think that it can be helpful to those who haven't a framework.
August 17, 2023
In The Will of God, Weatherhead delineates three types of God's will, intentional, circumstantial, and ultimate. This classification is not, strictly speaking, in the Bible, but it is biblical. It clarifies why God might will something that God never intended to happen and how God powerfully uses even the evil in the world (which he didn't will) to accomplish his ultimate will. Meditating on this concept shows how freedom of God's creation works synergistically with God's absolute sovereignty.
November 20, 2017
An exquisite little book that in five essays/sermons elucidates the various aspects of what we see and experience as the will of God. Written during WWII it seems to me to share timeless perspectives on what is and is not the will of God. It also gives the reader a way of living into the mystery that is God's will.
November 21, 2017
A perfect little book that clearly states the differences between God’s intentional will, his circumstantial will, and his ultimate will. I have read this book many times, trying to help people understand God’s will. Great book for Bible Studies. Timeless in its teaching.
June 2, 2025
I really enjoyed this one a lot. Because of its length and conciseness, I could definitely find myself going back to it. He reads very much like a CS Lewis sort of style (which I’m not a huge fan of, as I’ve said before), but I really liked it because how direct it was. Great read,
February 19, 2026
This is a powerful book - if you think God caused your illness or caused the illness of someone you love, PLEASE READ THIS - he explains the will of God in profound ways. God wants only the BEST FOR EACH OF US
November 12, 2017
Very thought-provoking and helpful although one should be aware of the historical context in which it was written...England during WW 2.
July 21, 2018
A life changing book!
August 1, 2019
Intro into theodicy for me... will read this again many many times. Rich and poignant, anyone who has ever pondered on God in general, but especially on His will should read this.
December 1, 2020
Is a harsh reality of what happens in various lives of those used in this study.
January 4, 2022
Very logical way of looking at God's will (intentional, circumstantial, ultimate). Also discusses how to discern.
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