"Finding God's Plan" Pt 1 of 2:
One of the most popular verses in scripture is Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'" While this verse is often quoted, many struggle finding "God's plan" for their personal life. The fact is, most if not all of us struggled with this very thing at one time or another.
Maybe you have hoped to have discovered God's plan for your life, but so far without success. Don't get discouraged. Life rarely unfolds exactly as we imagine or meticulously plan. How many college students do you know that went to school for four or more years, came out with a degree and built a career in a totally different field? How many people do you know that thought they had a career of a lifetime, but wound up spending at a variety of jobs?
Dreams once vivid and detailed may evolve, shift, or even fade as challenges arise or unexpected opportunities intersect our paths. This can leave us questioning, "What happened to the plan, Lord?" Sometimes the will of God for our lives is thwarted (or takes a detour) because we make selfish choices that do not align with the teaching of God's Word. In other words, we take our own paths rather than His.
You might be a young person, high school or college student, or adult wondering, "God, what do you want from me" or "What do you want me to do?" Proverbs 19:21 says, "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." While we may be uncertain about our future today, God's purpose for our lives will ALWAYS stand firm. Along with Jeremiah 29:11, verses 12 and 13 are as equally important:
"Then you will call upon me and come pray to me, and I will listen to you. YOU WILL SEEK ME and FIND ME when you SEEK ME with ALL YOUR HEART." (More tomorrow).
Pastor Carnes
