9 Things You Need to Know About God's Plan for Your Life

When I graduated from high school, my goal was to become the first woman president of the United States. The earliest I could be elected was November 7, 2000, because a candidate must be at least 36 years old to serve as president. 

Many of you remember that election – a nail biter between Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush. Gore ultimately won the popular vote, but lost the race in the Electoral College. George W. Bush, instead of me, was sworn in as the 39th president of the United States. 

Somewhere between belting out Helen Reddy’s feminist mantra, “I am woman, hear me roar,” and becoming a dental hygienist, wife, mother, Sunday school teacher, author, and speaker, I surrendered my life to Christ. As I’ve sought God’s guidance for my life, he’s gradually revealed his will and purpose for me. 

Apparently it is not to serve as president of the United States. Thank you, George Bush, for stepping up to the plate. 

In the intervening years, I’ve learned a few things about God’s guidance. Although I haven’t figured it all out, perhaps God can use my insights to make your path a little clearer. 

9 Things You Need to Know About God's Plan for Your Life

1. God has a plan and a purpose for our lives, and it is good. (Jer. 29:11) 

2. God will never lead us where he can’t provide for us. (Mat. 6:33) 

3. God’s Word is his greatest source of direction. If we want to hear from him, the best way is to read the Bible every day. The more we read it, the better we understand God's will. (Ps. 119:105) 

4. Closed doors are for our protection and direction. (Acts 16:6).

5. No stop along the way is wasted. God uses each one of them to equip us for the next step. Beth Moore often says, “Your greatest pain can become your greatest ministry.” 

6. When we confidently rest in God’s sovereignty, our heart is at peace and our steps are confident. “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (Proverbs 16:9, NLT) 

7. No purpose of God can be thwarted. (Job 42:2)

8. God can even use our “failures” to accomplish something good when we surrender them to him and determine to learn from them. 

9. When I act like God is not sovereign over the events of my life, my path becomes twisted and I begin to fret. “The foolishness of a man twists his way, and his heart frets against the Lord,” (Prov. 19:3). 

My husband and I were traveling home from the beach on Memorial Day. We knew the interstates would be crowded and slow moving, so we opted to take the back roads instead. 

Instead of a pencil-straight route between Edisto Island and Columbia, we snaked our way from small town to small town, often running parallel to the clogged interstate, but never intersecting it. The towns of Hollywood, Walterboro, and St. George looked insignificant, but as we tracked our progress on the map, each town was a necessary step in our journey. 

Dan Balow, literary agent with the Steve Laube agency, says this: “Avoid over-thinking and over-planning. . . . there is the underlying power of God, (which) often makes no logical sense to us as to what He is doing, at least until we can see what His purpose really is. After all, we humans see God’s handiwork in the past…not as clear about today or tomorrow. Only God knows that.” 

Are you struggling with God's plan for your life? I encourage you to seek his face earnestly and watch him reveal his good purpose for you.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." (Isa. 30:21)

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