Dear Friends

I want to tell you about one of the most common concerns I hear from Christians. Whether I’m praying for someone I’m with or just talking with a friend over coffee, I often hear people raise this concern, saying something along the lines of:

 

“I really need to hear from God. I’m afraid I’m going to take the wrong step or make the wrong decision. How do I know His will and His purpose for my life?”

 

It’s a concern that I have also had at times in my life . . . and I’m guessing you may have also thought something along these lines. But if you are currently in a place where you’re seeking God’s plan for you — whether it is for a specific decision or a general direction for this season in life — I have good news for you today . . .

• You don’t have to live in fear of ‘missing God’
• You can learn to hear His voice
• And you can live with a bold, confident, joyful expectation that He is guiding your steps

Let me remind you that God has a wonderful plan and purpose for your life(Jeremiah 29:11). The enemy tries to fill our minds with thoughts like “You’ve missed your chance” or “You’ve made too many mistakes”, but those are lies, and we need to use God’s Word to replace them with the truth (2. Corinthians 10:5). In Romans 8:28 (NKJV), the apostle Paul tells us . . .

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

As a child of God, you are called according to His purpose. And His purpose always works together for your good. God won’t call you to do something that makes you miserable. God’s will for your life always brings peace, joy, and fulfilment!

But this brings us back to that question that worries so many: How do I discover His purpose? But discovering God’s purpose isn’t as hard as we make it out to be. One of the first things to do is simply get our lives out of ‘park mode’ Why? Because it’s impossible to drive a parked car. One reason many people find it so difficult to know what God wants them to do is that they don’t realise that He leaves many details of our lives to our discretion. And if we don’t move forward, it is hard to understand how God wants to work in our lives. We just have to take that first step.

Let me give you an example . . . When God called me to preach the Gospel, He didn’t tell me specifically where to go. I felt He simply said to go north, south, east, and west. Now, I could have stayed stuck — frozen in worry about missing God — thinking about all the things that could go wrong. Or I could take a step . . . and put the car in drive. I started out in my town, St. Louis, Missouri, and organised meetings where I could teach God’s Word in the north part of the city, the south part, the east part, and the west part. I covered all four geographic areas of St. Louis, and the ministry expanded from there as opportunities arose. Only when I was willing to take the first step did I begin to more fully understand God’s purpose for my life.

What about you? What do you feel God has placed on your heart to do right now? Is God calling you to:

• Start a Bible study or lead a prayer group?
• Go back to school or develop a new skill?
• Pursue a career change or a leadership opportunity?
• Help a neighbour or encourage a co-worker?
• Focus on your children or your grandchildren during this season?

Whatever it is . . .
Start moving in the direction you feel God is leading you. And after you take an initial step of faith, you will get more definitive direction from God.

God told Abram to go to a place that He would show him, but Abram had to go before anything else could happen (Genesis 12:1). As you step out in the direction that you believe God is calling you, you can trust that He will interrupt you if you are not going in the direction He wants you to go. Take one step at a time; if the first step works, take another. If it doesn’t, step back and go in another direction. All you have to do is obey . . . God will do the rest!

Don’t be so afraid of missing God that you suffer what I call the “paralysis of analysis”. In other words, don’t analyse your options for so long that you become stuck and unable to move forward. Being led by the Spirit involves saying no to fear and yes to faith. When you quiet your mind and follow what God has put in your heart, you begin to discover His will.

 

If you really want to know His purpose in every area of your life,

He will be faithful in meeting you where you are and helping you to know and recognise His voice.

Remember, you don’t have to live in fear that you’ve missed your chance or that you are going to make a mistake when you are trying to do what God has placed in your heart. He has a purpose for you, and He is speaking to you. All you have to do is step out in faith and trust Him to do the rest!

Do you know God’s purpose for your life? If not, take some time to discover what he has gifted you with. What do you enjoy doing? What is close to your heart? What dreams do you have? Think about your first step and take it — one step at a time!