“Five Simple Steps to Discover God’s Plans for You” has some of you already objecting with, “You’ve got to be kidding! Simple? Discovering God’s Plans?” Others of you are already forming your questions:
Who should I marry? Should I go back to school? Is this the place where God wants me to serve? Should I start my own business? Should I homeschool my kids? When should I buy a home? When should I retire? Where is God calling me? Is this job a dead-end? What’s the next step in my life? Which church should I attend? Am I really on track with God’s will for my life?
Does “Five Steps” sound too simplistic? Maybe. Is it possible for you to unknowingly complicate God’s will or God’s plans for you? How do we figure out those plans? Just what ARE those plans?
God’s promise in Jeremiah 29:11 gives us a clue: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)
While Jeremiah, the Old Testament prophet, echoed those words from God in a letter to the exiles in Babylon, those truths in God’s Word can apply to us as well.
TWO THINGS TO BELIEVE
From God’s Word we can believe two things:
1. God’s plans for you are always good (not harmful to us).
2. God’s plans for you are always designed to bring us good (hope and a future).
But how do we handle the big decisions in life? How do we know if we’re making the ones that will bring good for us?
FIVE SIMPLE STEPS TO DISCOVER GOD’S PLANS FOR YOU
Here are five simple steps that might help you discover God’s plans for you. They’re not exclusive and may appear too simple. But I believe they work:
- ASK. You want wisdom? James 1:5-6 says to ask God for it. But believe God will give it to you. Most of us have a tendency to figure things out on our own. God is saying, “Hello, I’m here. I made you. Trust me.”
- BE FAITHFUL WHERE YOU ARE. God will not give you greater opportunities or responsibilities if you aren’t faithful with what He’s already entrusted you in the smaller areas of your life (See Matthew 25:21). Serve Him cheerfully, gratefully, faithfully, wherever you are, no matter what your lot in life may be right now.
- LISTEN. Continue to study and pray (and even fast), watching for insights from God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. Other trusted believers can help balance your perspective. But in the end, God and His Word never change. (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17). God will not “tell” you to do something that is against His righteous character or contrary to the principles in His Word. His Word is powerful, bringing instruction, correction, training, and equipping us thoroughly “for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Trying to make decisions without consulting God or His Word is like trying to find our way through a dark tunnel without a flashlight.
- WAIT. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, waiting is not always easy. Sometimes God gives you more than one good choice. That happened to us one year when two churches were interested in my husband coming to serve as a new staff member. Both churches seemed like possible fits. We considered both but had no answers. So we waited and prayed. Before we had to make a decision, God had eliminated one and cleared the way for the other.
Two Good Choices
However, another time earlier in his life, Larry faced two good decisions. Both seemed great choices: attend college or serve in a missionary program for two years first. He ultimately decided God would have been pleased with either choice. So he ultimately chose one with confidence.
But either way, waiting on God before you act or decide allows you time to think, pray, and listen for that wisdom God has promised.
I confess to being a “show-me” kind of woman. “God, will you please show me clearly what to do and when to do it?” Waiting is not my favorite thing to do. Yet through the years, I’ve discovered that God sometimes delays His clear-cut answers to cultivate our trust in Him alone–and not on our own wisdom. Unfortunately, I often learned that the hard way!
Is God Waiting On Us?
It’s not always a matter of us waiting on Him. Sometimes God is waiting on us…for our character to catch up with His desires for us (or for His plans to become our plans).
- OBEY. Similar to #2 above, simply keep doing what you know to do, day in and day out. Stay faithful, keep growing, stop worrying, and obey God with the light that He has given you. If your heart’s desire is to please and honor the Lord in all you do and in all your decisions, will that decision really be a “bad” one?
QUESTIONS? TWO MORE TRUTHS
Still have questions? But what about….what if….? We’ll always have questions. Remember the two things we can count on about God and His plan for us. Then remind yourself of two more familiar truths:
- There is a God.
- We’re not Him.
Bottom line: Does God keep His promises? Absolutely. Can we trust a God who never changes? Yes! Is God faithful? What do you think?
Questions about God’s faithfulness, His plans and purpose for your life, and how He longs to meet the needs of your heart? Discover your faithful Father’s heart in Day-votions® with Your Faithful Father: 90 Days with the One Who Longs to Meet All Your Needs.
* I first wrote this blog post years ago, but the subject is timeless. You might also enjoy 4 Things to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do.
It’s Your Turn
What has helped you discover God’s plans for your life? How has God been faithful to show you His plans? You can always write me through my contact page. Just fill out the basic name and address info, and then the email will come to me. Your name or info will never be shared with anyone without your permission.
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