For your life.

We as believers affirm that there is one God who has made all human beings and fashioned a purpose for each person. We also affirm that although God is sovereign, he has made us to possess freewill, meaning we are able to choose what we want to do and how to live our lives, even if that is in contradiction to God’s perfect plan for our lives. It is with these in mind that I write to encourage you today…to follow God’s plan for your life.

It bears repeating – God has a plan for every person on the earth, and that plan takes into cognizance the way he has made each one of us. We are all created with unique traits and abilities, and those fit well into what God has planned for us to become and how He wants us to live. If we choose to live differently than God planned for us to, we will be positioning ourselves for unnecessary struggles that God did not plan for us to experience.

To be clear, God has a generic plan for all human beings, for which the Bible is a template we can follow. Our life decisions, lifestyle choices, and personal convictions must be based on God’s Word if we want to fulfill God’s plan for our lives. But that is only a start. There are many choices we have to make in life which are not set out in the Bible and which differ from one person to another. These include choices about what careers to pursue, what jobs to take, what places to live, who to marry, and so on.

Following God’s plan for your life requires at least two elements – one is knowing that plan, and the other is keeping your eyes on that plan. Knowing God’s plan is both hard and simple – simple because all it takes is walking daily with God, and hard because it can be challenging to keep in step in our walk with God. There are many things – more than enough – to distract us from a lifetime of walking with God. But we must make and continue to make the effort, by praying regularly, and studying God’s Word with the intent to obey it.

The other minimum requirement for following God’s plan is keeping your eyes on His plan for YOU. Because we always exist in community, we are often tempted to compare our lives with others and take decisions like them. But what is good for Mr. A, is not always good for Ms. B, except in the things that God’s Word clearly recommends. I want to encourage you not to be distracted by what is happening in the lives of others around you – regardless of who they are. There is a unique purpose for your life, and you must aim to fulfill it.

Sometimes, following God requires faith. At other times, it requires patience. Often times, it requires both. But by maintaining our relationship with our loving Father and committing to obeying His will, we can be sure we are getting the best life He has designed for us. It doesn’t matter who is succeeding or failing. It doesn’t matter what the next person needs to do or can afford to get away with. What matters is keeping your eyes on the road ahead of you. Our races are all unique. Make sure you are constantly discovering, and following God’s plan for your life.