The very title, “Five Simple Steps to Discover God’s Plans for You,” likely has a few of you already objecting. “You’ve got to be kidding! Simple? Discovering God’s plans?” Others of you’re already interested by your individual questions:
- Who should I marry?
- Should I am going back to high school?
- Is this the place where God wants me to serve?
- Should I start my very own business?
- Should I homeschool my kids?
- When should I purchase a house?
- When should I retire?
- Where is God calling me?
- Is this job a dead-end?
- What’s the subsequent step in my life?
- Which church should I attend?
- Am I actually heading in the right direction with God’s will for my life?
Does “Five Steps” sound too simplistic? Maybe. Is it possible we sometimes complicate God’s will or God’s plans for our lives? How will we work out those plans? Just what arethose plans?
God’s promise in Jeremiah 29:11 gives us a clue: “For I do know the plans I actually have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, and never to harm you, plans to present you hope and a future.” (NIV)
Two Things to Believe
From that verse we are able to consider two things:
- God’s plans are at all times good (not harmful to us).
- God’s plans are at all times designed to bring us good (hope and a future).
But how will we handle the large decisions in life? How will we know if we’re making those that may bring good for us?
The Five Simple Steps
Here are five easy steps which may help. They’re not exclusive, and should appear too easy for you. But I think they work:
- ASK. You want wisdom? James 1:5 says to ask God for it. But consider God will give it to you. Most of us tend 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 won’t offer you greater opportunities or responsibilities for those who aren’t faithful with what He’s already entrusted you within the smaller areas of your life (See Matthew 25:21). Serve Him cheerfully, gratefully, faithfully, wherever you’re, irrespective of what your lot in life could also be straight away.
- LISTEN. Continue to review and pray (and even fast), looking ahead to insights from God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. Other trusted believers will help balance your perspective. But in the long run, God and His Word never change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17). God won’t “tell” you to do something that’s 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 each good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Trying to make decisions without consulting God or His Word is like trying to seek out our way through a dark tunnel with no flashlight.
- WAIT. Waiting just isn’t at all times easy. Sometimes God gives you a couple of sensible choice. That happened to us one yr when two churches were interested in my husband coming to function a recent staff member. Both churches gave the look of possible matches. We considered each, but had no answers. So we waited and prayed. Before we needed to make a call, God had eliminated one and cleared the best way for the opposite.
However, one other time earlier in his life, Larry faced two good decisions. Both seemed great decisions: attend college or serve in a missionary program for 2 years first. He ultimately decided God would have been pleased with either selection. So he ultimately selected one with confidence.
But either way, waiting on God before you act or determine allows you time to think, pray, and listen for that wisdom God has promised.
I confess to being a “show-me” form of woman. “God, will you please show me clearly what to do and when to do it?” Waiting just isn’t 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!
It’s not at all times a matter of us waiting on Him. Sometimes God is waiting on us… for our character to meet up with His desires for us (or for His plans to turn into our plans).
- OBEY. Similar to #2 above, simply keep doing what you recognize to do, day in and day trip. Stay faithful, continue to grow, stop worrying, and obey God with the sunshine that He has given you. If your heart’s desire is to please and honor the Lord in all you do and in all of your decisions, will that call really be a “bad” one?
Two More Truths
Still have questions? But what about…. what if….? We’ll at all times have questions. Remember the 2 things we are able to 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 guarantees? Absolutely. Can we trust a God who never changes? Yes! Is God faithful? What do you’re thinking that?
Rebecca Barlow Jordan is an inspirational writer, speaker, and passionate follower of Jesus who likes to encourage others heart to heart. She has written 11 books and over 1700 other articles, greeting cards, and other inspirational pieces. Her each day devotional Daily in Your Presence is out there for delivery through Crosswalk.com. You can discover more about Rebecca at www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com.
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