Answer
The Bible reveals a beautiful plan for our lives. We can know with all certainty many aspects of God’s plan because they are revealed in His Word. Other parts we discover as we walk in ever-deepening fellowship with God. Some pieces of the puzzle will only be revealed to us in eternity when we see Jesus face to face (1 Corinthians 13:9–12; see also 1 Corinthians 8:2).
God’s plan for my life is salvation. God’s paramount plan for us is to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9; 2 Peter 3:9). Our loving heavenly Father wants us to come to Him as trusting children (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1) and depend on Him daily to satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts (Psalm 42:1–2; 63:1; John 4:13–14; 6:27, 35, 50–51; 7:37; Revelation 22:17). Through a personal, one-on-one connection with Him, God fulfills the purposes for which He created us.
God’s plan for my life is fellowship. We get to know God’s plan through living in communion with Him. At first, we have many questions. It’s impossible to see the whole picture from the start. A parent doesn’t disclose the intricate details of adulthood to an infant. New believers must rest in God and trust Him to reveal what we need to know about His plan as we mature and grow in faith. What we can know from the beginning is that God desires to have daily fellowship with us through the Holy Spirit because of Christ’s redeeming sacrifice on the cross (John 14:16–17, 23; Ephesians 2:18–19; Romans 5:10; 1 Corinthians 1:9).
God’s plan for my life is obedience. As we remain in fellowship with the Father, we begin to understand that He calls us to a life of submission to His will and His Word (John 14:15, 21; 1 John 3:24; 2 John 1:6). Jesus, who is our example in everything, said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34, ESV; see also John 5:30; 6:38; 14:31; Matthew 26:39). Christ demonstrated selfless obedience to the Father as His life’s mission (Hebrews 10:9 Philippians 2:8; Romans 5:18–19). Just as it was for Christ, wholehearted obedience to the Father’s will is God’s plan for our lives(Matthew 7:21; 12:50; 19:17; John 15:10; Ephesians 6:6; Romans 1:5).
God’s plan for my life is holiness. God’s purpose for every believer is to be conformed to the character of Christ: “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29, NLT; see also 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2). Whether we are young or old, married or single, rich or poor, black or white, male or female, God’s plan is for us to be made holy (Leviticus 11:44–45; Hebrews 12:10; 1 Peter 1:15–16; 1 John 3:3).
God’s plan for my life is discipleship. God calls Christians to be witnesses for Jesus in the world (Acts 1:8; Matthew 10:17–20) and to follow Christ in laying down our lives for others (1 John 3:16; Matthew 16:24–26; John 13:12–17). Discipleship involves learning from God (John 6:45) and loving and serving others (Ephesians 5:1–2; 1 Peter 2:16; 4:10; Galatians 6:9–10).
God’s plan for my life is good works. The Bible likens believers to works of art in the studio of the Master Artist: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT). Before we were born, God designed a plan for us (Psalm 139:13)—an itinerary of good works waiting for us to accomplish through our union with Him. He is the master, and we are His instruments (2 Corinthians 4:7–18; Jeremiah 18:6; Romans 9:20–21).
God’s plan for my life is progress. God does not reveal the complete plan for our lives all at once. We don’t get the whole schedule or the nitty-gritty details but only what we need to keep moving forward. Our job is to trust Him on the journey and allow Him to do the creative work in and through us as we “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
