How to Know with Certainty the Plans God Has for You

When officials tossed the apostle Paul in prison, he didn’t take that as a sign that he should pack it up and return home. He used the opportunity to sing praises and witness to the jailer and his family (Acts 16).

If your children seem like they’re running farther and farther from Christ, if your marriage isn’t getting any better, if no job has opened up, don’t let those circumstances drag you down. Look for opportunities to shine the light of Christ even more. Ask God to keep molding you through the trials.

Keep believing that God is up to something, even if you can’t see it yet. After all, God’s purpose for our lives often leads us through the valley to refine us.

Action step: If you’re in the heart of a bad situation, take a moment to pray about it and look for opportunities that God may have for you. Take stock of how God is using this tough time to change you.

God gave an amazing promise to the Israelites of Jeremiah’s day:

Not long afterward, God would fulfill all the promises He’d made to them. You see, from Genesis 3:15 to the exile into Babylon (and their later return), God had been telling them of a Savior, a promised One, a Messiah. And God wanted His people to remember that He would fulfill His Word to them.

In our case, all of God’s plans and promises for our lives begin with the cross. Our purpose on this earth starts at Calvary with the death of Jesus and proceeds to the tomb with His resurrection. As a Christian, we’re here to share that good news in all that we do. That’s at the heart of what God intends for us, and His purpose will never take you away from being ambassadors of His grace (2 Corinthians 5:20).

So, any plan God has for you will start and end with Jesus. You’ll have the opportunity to share the good news about Him in whatever situation God intends for you.

Action step: Take inventory of your goals and aspirations. Is Jesus at the center of them? If not or you’re not sure, ask God to help you keep the cross in sight.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Sophie Keen