God's Plan for Our Lives: Part 1

Have you ever heard a statement like this: “I wasn’t sure if I should major in Education or Accounting so I stayed undeclared and prayed that God would show me his will”? Or this: “When my boss said that, I really felt like it was God telling me to quit my job and move to California”? Or this: “I don’t know which job God wants me to take so I’m praying that God will close one of the doors and make it clear”?

As Christians we’ve probably all heard statements like these and we’ve probably all said similar things ourselves. I once went on a date with a man who explained that he felt God calling him to quit his job as a CPA and move to Colorado to become a writer. When he wasn’t making any money as a writer, he said that he just needed to have more faith because “if God wanted me to be a writer, than it’s God’s responsibility to provide me with the necessary means.” But my question was, did God want this guy to be a writer or did this guy just want to be a writer?  

I have also looked for signs from God in the past. I remember praying, “Lord, if you want me to date this man (or don’t want me to), please show me in some big way so it’s really clear.” Then if some slight coincidence happened, I thought it was a sign from God. Yet that thinking led me into some not-so-great relationships and I was left wondering but what about the “sign”? It left me disappointed in God and asking him “Why would you lead me into that mess?” Looking back I think God just wanted me to use wisdom, my own judgment, and common sense. He didn’t expect me to look for some mystical sign.

The following is my very brief paraphrase of the book Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung. This is a book I believe every Christian should read because it is a biblical and freeing look at God’s will, something we all wonder about.

It’s not uncommon for Christians to want to know “God’s will for their life.” However, when we talk about God’s will, we talk about it in three different ways. The first way is God’s will of decree. This is the same as God’s providence. God is in control of everything that happens: everything that happens in the world, in history, and in our lives. Simply put, God always gets his way. The second is God’s will of desire. This is the way God wants us to live. It has to do with our morals and values and actions. It is what God commands us to do. The third will that we speak of is God’s will of direction. This is what Christians are wondering about when they are faced with decisions like: Where should I live? What college should I go to? What should I major in? What job should I take? Who should I marry? What is God’s plan for me?

The thing is, God does not have a will of direction for our lives. Now, don’t get me wrong. God does have a plan for our lives. He cares about us, he is in control, he knows what’s going to happen, and he has a plan for us. The difference is, God does not expect us to figure out that plan ahead of time!  

In my next blog, I’m going to go over why we shouldn’t try to figure out God’s plan for our lives ahead of time. After that we will look at a better way that God guides us in our decisions. How can we make a decision without dreams, visions, fleeces, impressions, open doors, random Bible verses, casting lots, liver shivers, writing in the sky, etc.? Stay tuned J