“What Does God Want Me to Do with My Life?” – Part I

Do you constantly find yourself asking God if you’ve chosen the right career path, or if a career is even part of God’s plan for your life? Have you ever wondered who God wants you to marry, in the hope that marriage will suddenly give your life the right “purpose?” Well, as Christ-followers, I think we have to be very careful in developing a clear understanding of the “purpose” God has given us.

First, ask yourself a question- “Am I finding my purpose in God, or am I trying to find God in my purpose?”

I hope every Christian is finding his or her purpose in God. I say “finding” because this is obviously a lifelong journey. At the same time, I hope to make it crystal clear that this journey should not simply be a sham. We shouldn’t just run around frantically and ignorantly, constantly trying to reassure ourselves that everything that happens, and everything we really, really want to happen, is somehow proof that we have a purpose in God.

To understand the purpose God has given you as a Christian, you must look to the bible. That sounds pretty simple, right? But how often do we actually do this? Think about how much time you’ve spent asking God for a sign that you are on the right track. Maybe you’ve wondered if he could just put the right person in your path so you know who to marry; or if he could give you a crazy dream that somehow answers a question that just won’t go away. Perhaps he could make the stars align, magically causing you to become extremely fluent in some difficult foreign language, which would clearly help you realize that he wants you to move overseas to do mission work. I’ve been silly enough to ask God to give me an answer, and then open up the bible to a random page, hoping he’ll reveal something meaningful.

Well, the bible will reveal something meaningful if you read it with the right state of mind. The problem is that you won’t receive what you need from God unless you are asking the right questions. Whether we realize it or not, we often ask God, “How will you fit into my purpose?” Instead, try asking, “What is my purpose in you, God?” Don’t get me wrong- there’s nothing wrong with asking God to confirm things or answer questions. But the first place you should look to understand God's purpose for you is the bible. Don’t try to come up with a purpose first, and then try to explain it using the bible. You might end up having to explain away the bible.

God has a plan to deal with the unknown, but you can’t understand his plan for your Christian journey until you start reading His Word with an open heart and an open mind. Otherwise, you risk being blown around like a feather in the wind because of every person and event in your life, whether significant or insignificant to God’s purpose for you.

A good place to start is 1 John chapter one. It talks about Jesus as the Word of life, and it brings up walking in the light, a key aspect of God’s purpose.