God’s Plan For You and Why It Matters

One of the foundational beliefs of Christianity is that God, specifically the Father, has a plan for our lives. God’s plan is individualized for each one of us, and can change as we grow and progress, or even as we mess things up. God has known you since you were “formed in the womb”, and has directed your journey from the start, even in the midst of trouble, sin and anything else that can throw things off the track. No matter what the plan is, the Father’s goal is to bring you safely home with him, to be with him in love, peace and joy for all eternity.

But figuring out what the plan is can be difficult. Most people don’t seem to recognize or give much thought to the fact that their lives have a purpose, or a plan – and this often leads to emptiness, lack of direction and poor judgement, just to name a few. So how do we discern the plan of God for us? What benefit is there for us to do so?

Ways to Determine What God’s Plan is For Us

Some people seem to be very in-tune to what God’s plan is for them. They seem to roll along in life knowing that they are on the right track, and may even express how God “speaks” to them, either directly or otherwise. For most of us, this is not so simple, and that’s OK. But there are certain things that we can do to better tune in to what God wants for us, and from us.

• Reading and immersing yourself in the Word of God. The Bible is a living document, in that God uses its reading to communicate and touch our hearts. This could be by learning about him, or by revelation about things going on in our lives and gaining new perspective. This is why re-reading the same scripture often at different points in our lives is fruitful in different ways. In summary, this helps us better understand God and ourselves in how we relate to him.
• Prayer – Personal, Heartfelt & Frequent. It is impossible to build a relationship with anyone without honest communication. This is also true for God. How can we know God’s plan if we don’t talk to him, and listen to what he is saying to us?
• Quiet Meditation & Contemplation Our world is noisy and we are very busy. We need to make quiet alone time for ourselves for many reasons. This is especially true for hearing God’s “voice” in whatever way that comes to us. This is illustrated beautifully in 1Kings 19:11-12, when Elijah is alerted to God’s presence in a whispering sound.
• Looking for God’s presence in other people. God often speaks to us through others, in their speech and actions. Pay attention to those around you!
• Serving others / charity / helping out. When in doubt, living for the benefit of others will always put us on the right track. This is the fundamental way that we were created to live. You can’t go wrong.
• Ask Him. Last but not least, the simplest way is to ask. God usually doesn’t just answer back quickly and directly, so keep asking – don’t give up. Do this along with the other suggestions listed above, and you will not be disappointed.

By applying these spiritual strategies, we can increase our sense for when we are on the right track in our lives. We can also be more confident in our prayerful decision making when faced with a fork in the road, along our life’s journey.

What Following God’s Plan Could Cost

In the Old Testament, the prophet Jerimiah knew all too well about the perils of following God’s plan. Being mocked and ridiculed, he persisted in spreading the messages from God that stirred within him. Even when he wanted to stop, he could not because the will of God was so string within him.

Especially within our secular culture, it is usually not easy or popular to follow God’s will. We live in a wold that seems to increasingly be turning its back on God. But there are still many faithful, and God’s plans for us are all the more critical and potentially successful than in generations past. We are usually not ready for what God has in store – he wants us to trust in faith that he is leading us properly. He wants us to depend on him to prepare for what’s ahead. He arms us with what we need for the task at hand.

In addition, we may encounter mockery or outright hostility for our commitment to God. We may lose friends, status or financial stability. But we can look to those before us who have sacrificed these and more for the sake of the Gospel. We must remember how Jesus himself followed God the Father’s plan for him by sacrificing himself on the cross. This was a most painful, horrible death, but necessary to overcome the ultimate injustice and open the path to eternal life.

Benefits for Living According to God’s Will

Anytime that we live according to the commandments and laws of God, we are living in the general way that God has laid out for us. Obedience to and respect for God does not restrict us, conversely it frees us from the slavery of sin and allows us to live fully in the way that God created for us. In short, we live as beings of love.

When we take this to the next level and search out a relationship with God, we can decipher his plan for us and discover the path that has been laid out. We know when we are on God’s path due to the spiritual benefits that become real, but may be hard to express. God’s will leads to peace, joy and contentment, not as “the world” sees it but on a deeper level. This has deeper roots than fleeting happiness or roller coaster emotions that are part of our physical experience. The love of God becomes evident, and superficial insecurities, addictions and anxieties can fade away.

None of us are there yet and we all struggle, but despite the costs, following God’s plan for us is definitely worth it!