What is Gods Plan?

   Pastor Fred continued our series of What’s Next by asking the all important question is “what is Gods plan for my life?”  How often have we asked this question, whether it is a high school senior wondering what college and or degree they should take up. Or how about should we take or pass on a job or a promotion opportunity. The preaching passage is Acts 16:6-15 and the cool part of this passage is Gods change of plans for Paul and his obedience, the church of Phillipi was planted and this is where we get the book of Phillipians. Here are some of my observations. 

  The first one is we are in Gods will as long as we are doing Godly things. In essence how often do we over complicate things because God didn’t sent us a text or a social media message to what to make for dinner. Or we shut down and do nothing because we didn’t get clear instructions of what to do. God gave us a brain and he expects us to use it. God has revealed Himself to us and are we acting on what God has revealed to us? God often doesn’t tell us what is next when we are not doing what we know we are suppose to be doing. 

  In essence, we need to get off of our backside and do something. The American Civil War could have been shorter if the Union Generals got off of their hands and attacked instead of holding back and doing nothing out of either fear or a lack of motivation. God specializes in the messy. It is a whole lot easier to clean up messed when we are teachable and willing to do something rather be apathetic and stuck in their ways. There was a time at work where I didn’t properly label and bin some stuff. My supervisor was thankful that I took some initiative and then taught me how to do it right. This is how God is with us. He is looking for someone not with all the answers but who is willing to learn and grow. There are something’s that we can’t learn until we get up and do. Yes, this takes risk, but that is what faith is about. 

  My second observation is that when we are asking for direction from God, it is important to spend time in prayer and listening to God, but also connecting with mature Godly people to come along side is to process what we are doing and what God is telling us. God designed us to be in community and to push each other to grow. Are we seeking out relationships that we can’t learn until be mentored by and mentor someone else. My dad god involved with a local youth group and has developed a cool relationship with one of the teens. They often go and do different things together and in that they have important conversations. So who are we being mentored by and who are we mentoring?

  My third observation is that God does set some things in motion and pre planned them. These things are such things as creation and salvation. In the midst of Gods sovereignty, He does give us free will to choose. I know that this is a whole sermon unto itself, but God does allow us to make choices to either serve and grow closer to Him or to walk away and do our own thing . God is big enough to know what decisions we are going to make and nothing surprises Him. God just doesn’t take over and forces us to or not to something. The big fancy word for God dictating our choices is determinism and if this were the case, it would make us robots and God a thug. 

So in closing, I will end with the question I started with and that is what is Gods plan for my life? Are there times where God shows up and gives us a plan for what’s next? Sure, but we have the choice to say no. The other side is, there are people and situations on a daily basis that need Gods grace and we can be the hands and feet of Jesus in those situations. I the Apostle Paul tells us that each one of us was created for a unique purpose. They’re are times when we think that purpose is to be the greatest athlete, musician or CEO, or whatever our dreams are. I am not down playing greatness, because we should do things to the best of our ability, but sometimes Gods plan is for us to be right where we are. God created us so uniquely that He designed us to reach a certain person or a group of people and the only way we can do that is by being active serving where we are at. I will close with this. God won’t give us the next thing if we don’t do the small things that we already know that we are suppose to be doing. 

Grace and Peace

Tom Boustead