What is God’s Will for My Life?
This age old question has been thought provoking since the beginning of time. At some point in our human span of existence, whether we believe in God or not, we all question our earthly purpose. Why am I here? Where did I come from? I’m certain you have contemplated these very things before yourself. Do you know the answer? Do you find yourself wondering what the answers are? These are good questions. Even the most intellectually gifted bible scholars and theologians have considered these questions at some time or another in their quest for truth. We often continue to ponder these things before and even after we give our life to Christ. We should always be considering our deep purpose. So how do we know? How do we know all the bible says is true? How do we know God is real? How do we know, after we believe, what our purpose is here on earth?
Think back to our beginning by first looking at creation.
GEN. 1: 1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
The first four words of the bible are crucial. “IN THE BEGINNING GOD.” Stopping there reveals a vital piece. It shows us God was around in the beginning, even before. You would know God is the focus of all things beginning AND you would note, nothing happened prior to God. He always was.
**Right now you are in one of two places; either you are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and you believe and know without a doubt when you die you will be reconciled to God or you are not. You might be in a place of doubt or uncertainty but the facts remain, either you are currently in a growing relationship with Him or you are not. If you are not and you are still searching for answers, it is normal. If you truly ask God to reveal His realness to you, He will. Questioning God is ok, but only if we are willing to follow in obedience after He guides us to the truth.
If you are a believer, I rejoice in you being my brother or sister in Christ. This means you identify your sin and understand how it separates you from God. It means you do not want sin creating a spiritual blockade. It means you recognize how God’s love covers your sins and if you are willing, He will take away the burden of sin and cleanse you, allowing for a relationship to be born with your Heavenly Father. This IS the single most important decision you can EVER make in your life. That being said we can move on to understanding our purpose.
As believers, we have a purpose. We are to first, “Love God and Love People.” These are the two greatest God given commandments through His Son Jesus. Before the ascension of Jesus Christ into His heavenly home, He spells out our purpose at the end of Matthew 28, verses 19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” As a Christian, we have three callings of purpose or responsibilities to God, ourselves and others; Love God, love people, share the Good News. How God calls me to respond to these commands can most certainly look different than how another believer is called. My desires to love God could be spending time praying for an hour every morning and reading scripture. Someone else might sing praises focused on His biblical truths in a different format. Someone might love people by offering a homeless man a meal while another might love their brother by listening to something they are going through. Sharing the good news might be walking up to total strangers and sharing Jesus Christ or by praying with a group of close family members and talking to them about God. It is important to recognize that God creates differing opportunities to interact with others through our faith and if we are faithful and obediently embrace those opportunities, we will see God at work. Do not compare yourself with others and their way of answering how God speaks to them. Ask God to give you specific talents and desires to connect with Him and connect others to Him in a way that works for you. God has provided the resources to get out of our zone of comfort for His glory.
What is God’s specific purpose for my life? After we put God first in all we do, we wonder, what about a career path and a spouse and children? God has given each of us specific skills and desires to pursue and master to use for His benefit. There is no specific formula for figuring that out. I do know when I was going through a time in life and trying to get this question answered, God kept putting deaf people on my mind. I enjoyed ASL and did not really know why. I can look back 15 years now and see the divine plan God had and how He turned my interest into passion and passion into pursuit for His glory. Ask, Seek, Knock. Ask God. He will listen. Seek different ideas and what interests you. Knock, question and God will tell you yes or no.
You are worthwhile. You are cherished. You are important in the big picture of God’s story and your story is in God’s hands. Do not fear it, question it and seek His will in your life and you will be amazed at how God writes your story.
Verses for prayer in regards to purpose:
Mark 12:30-31 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Exodus 9:16 But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.