The human will is defined as “the faculty by which a person decides on and initiates action". It’s a concept that can be difficult to grasp, as it explores the complex and sometimes murky reasons behind why we, as humans, act.

Our human will can be a very powerful thing, it is often the difference between something being achieved or not. It speaks to motivation, reason, and value. Yet it is also something we don’t always take time to consider or understand.

Within a biblical anthropology (the study of human beings), the heart is at the centre of our being, and the will is a part of this, along with the mind, the conscience, and the passions. It is these four faculties working together, and their orientation, that shape who we are and who we are becoming.

The will, then, is our God-given capacity to choose and determine how we will act. Another way to say this is that we are volitional beings, we do things because we choose to, not because we are forced. We have the capacity to make choices, decisions, and take action.

As decision-making, action-taking beings of will, it is the orientation of those decisions and actions that becomes important.

The Bible tells the story of a God who has a will and brings things into being through His action. He also calls and invites His people to align their will with His. We, as humans, are most fully alive when our hearts and our will are aligned with His.

At Green Point Christian College, we seek to educate and form the whole of our students’ hearts, their minds, conscience, will, and passions. We aim to orient this formation toward the wisdom of God’s will.

As part of this, we are currently exploring what it means to be a willing participant in the learning process and to willingly engage with the world of which we are a part. These can be deep and rich conversations with students as we seek to understand our hearts and shape them in ways that cultivate wisdom and equip them for life.