First, God will direct us towards what He wants in our lives. Prov 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” He can guide us through the Bible, prayer, messages at church, words from Christian friends, and in many other small ways. If we think God told us to do something, but it goes against what the Bible teaches, then it isn’t God’s will because He will not contradict himself. It is important to read and know the Bible, so you can be aware of what it says and apply it when making decisions.
Another way God gives us direction is through our pastors. A church with the Holy Spirit at work often has amazingly applicable sermons that speak directly to us at the perfect time. Listen to them as confirmation when you’re on the right track or as a warning when you’re going off course. However, also keep in mind that just because you’re where God wants you to be right now and you’re headed in a certain direction, the end goal you’re picturing might not be the one He’s leading you towards. It can be disappointing or confusing when this happens, but we need to trust God and realize His plan is better in the long run.
The second test of whether something is part of God’s plan
for you is if you feel a natural inclination towards it. Prov 16:9 states that “A
man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” God creates us all with unique personalities,
likes, and abilities, and these qualities within us help us plan our lives. He wants to use us in ways that resonate
deeply within us and will maximize our potential while building His kingdom. We should listen to our intuition when we
feel drawn to a certain career, relationship or opportunity, as well as when we
feel uneasy or repelled. Moses possessed
a desire to rescue the oppressed, which he showed when he killed the Egyptian who
he saw beating a slave. Peter was a bold
leader, and Paul was a zealous theologian.
God took their natural character and used them to make major
impacts. We should feel excitement and fulfillment
if we are walking where God calls us.
Please don’t misunderstand inclination. It doesn’t mean that we should do whatever we
feel like doing or what we think will give us the most pleasure. Direction from God still needs to come first
and takes priority. His direction usually
complements our character, but we may have to step out in obedience and wait
for a long time before we see how. This
was the case with Moses when he resisted going to Egypt to confront Pharaoh
because he didn’t like public speaking. He
had to overcome that before he could fulfill his call as a deliverer.
If you feel like God told you to do something, but it is
something you absolutely don’t want to do, then stop and pray about it. Ask him to reconfirm what he said, and to
change your heart if that is what he wants you to do. If he again points you down the same path, trust
him and obey, even if you still don’t want to.
Jesus did this in the garden of Gethsemane when he begged the Father to
not make him die on the cross and carry the sins of the world on his shoulders,
but then went obediently once his prayer was not answered.
God will definitely push us out of our comfort zone and make
us walk through tough circumstances, but the point is that he designed and
prepared us in advance for these difficulties.
A great example of this is Abraham Lincoln. His presidency during the Civil War was
extremely difficult, thankless, stressful, and painful. It was not fun by any stretch of the
imagination, and once the war ended, he was assassinated. However, this was God’s will for his life,
and the test of inclination was met because God created him with the toughness,
smarts, strength of character, and foresight to complete the task at hand. And he found fulfillment by filling the
purpose God had for him.
Put simply, our God-given inclinations help us recognize
what He designed us to do.
Lastly, even if God directs us to do something and it agrees
with our inclinations, the situation must also come into alignment for us to actually
do it. For example, a woman may have a
strong desire and also be led by God to have children, but until she gets
married, the situation is not right to start this calling. We can prepare ourselves for what God wants
us to do, but that may be all we can do until the right door opens. Looking at Prov 16:9 again, it says that “A
man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” As stated above, the first half is talking
about our inclinations and how God wants to use us based on how he made us and
what he put on our hearts. However, the
second half shows that in order to achieve these plans, we have to let him
direct our steps. He guides us in our
daily lives as we meet people, encounter obstacles, and hear about
opportunities. Learn to see his hand at
work in the small details of life, and trust that if we follow him, he will
guide us to our destination along the right path at just the right pace.
