God has a Blessed and Distinctive Plan for Our Lives

 

 

When we aren’t assured that God has a blessed plan for our life, we are burdened and become stressed control-freaks. Therefore, Jesus asks:

Matthew 6:27 “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”

We cannot find in ourselves the rest and peace for which we long. This attempt will only increase our stress. Peace can only be found in the omnipotent One who loves us and proved it by dying for us:

Matthew 11:28–30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

This is why we need to know that God has a distinctive plan for each of us. He even has a plan for the nations:

For Israel: Jeremiah 29:11–14 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

And even for the other nations:  Acts 17:26–27 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.

Our Lord tells us that we belong to Him. If we are His (Isaiah 43:1; Galatians 2:20), we gradually learn that He will take care of us and has a distinctive and blessed plan each one. Consequently, we no longer have to be in control. We can leave the driving to Him:

Romans 8:28  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Philippians 1:6  And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 

But does He care about the little things that matter to us and can cause us so much stress?

Matthew 10:29–31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

As long as He remains our #1 concern, we can be assured that our foot-steps are His and that we are living out His blessed plan for us:

Proverbs 16:9  The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Psalm 37:23  The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.

Proverbs 19:21  Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

In this assured knowledge we find peace. Knowing that the Lord loves us, we can gladly  turn over our lives to His control and follow His Words:

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

He also promises to fulfill His plan including the length of our lives:

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Psalm 139:16  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 138:8  The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

Consequently, I need not worry whether I will succeed or whether I have what it takes to do the job to which He calls me. Instead, I can rejoice in His love, protection and guidance:

Psalm 37:23-24 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.

 

 He will embrace us for all eternity”

1 Corinthians 2:9  But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.”

 

 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

 

With this growing assurance, Christ becomes our life’s purpose and joy as Paul had proclaimed:

Acts 20:24 “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

 

The Psalmist Asaph had been tormented by what he observed. The unrighteous were thriving as he continued to struggle, but the Lord opened his understanding to His enduring love:

Psalm 73:26–28 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

 

Christ has also become my refuge and comforter. Therefore, my greatest joy and hope is to grow closer to Him as I reside within His grasp.