Finding God’s Plan for Your Life

A lot of believers, especially young people with their whole adult life ahead of them, struggle with knowing the will of God for their life. It’s really not that complicated, though. The Bible tells us what the will of God is:

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour” (1 Thes. 4:3f).

If you focus on the general will of God for all His children (i.e., your sanctification), then the will of God which is specifically for you as an individual (i.e., your calling) will gradually be revealed to you.

When I was in my early 30s, I went through a difficult time of confusion and depression as the result of my uncertainty about God’s will for my life. I had just returned home from a seven-month stay in Israel. I had a wife and two children to support, no job, almost no money, no home, no ministry, no church home, no plans, and absolutely no direction. I had no idea what the Lord wanted me to do. One thing I did have was a desperate, earnest desire to find and do the will of God, coupled with a fear that I might make a wrong decision and miss the will of God.

With these thoughts in mind, I was walking along the road one night (I didn’t have a car, either), grieving over how difficult it was for me to discern the will of God.

“Father,” I prayed, “why is it so hard to know Your will? It wasn’t always this difficult.”

My mind went back to my years as a new believer, when knowing God’s will didn’t seem to be a problem.

“Why is it so hard now?” I wondered. “I’m ten years older now, and hopefully wiser. It ought to be easier for me to know God’s will.”

Proverbs 4:18 came to mind: “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

“I’ve been walking the path of the just for ten years,” I thought. “The light should make things clearer, not more confusing.”

Then I recalled one of the very first Bible studies I had ever taught. I had been walking with the Lord for about two years at that time, and I was teaching on the so-called “Lord’s Prayer” (“Our Father which art in heaven,” etc.) “Thy will be done,” I quoted. I then proceeded to comment on the fact that so many Christians seem to experience uncertainty and confusion about knowing God’s will for them.

“I’ve never had that problem,” I informed my audience. “For me, knowing God’s will seems simple.”

I then quoted Proverbs 3:5 & 6: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” I also quoted Proverbs 16:3: “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

I then pointed out to my listeners that if we meet the conditions specified in these two Scriptures, then we have no reason to doubt the promise that “He shall direct thy paths,” and no cause to fear that it is not by our heavenly Father that our “thoughts shall be established.”

As I thought back on that study I had given about eight years earlier, I prayed, “Lord, was I just naive and immature and simple-minded back then? Or is it really that simple?”

Immediately the answer came to me like the sun rising over the horizon at daybreak. “Yes. It’s really that simple.”

I realized then that my confusion and doubt was due to the fact that I had let myself fall into a trap. I had allowed myself to be afraid to do anything for the Kingdom for fear that “it might not be God’s will.” I had let fear find a foothold in my mind by listening to the Enemy say things like “Maybe it’s not God’s will. Maybe you’re being too hasty and creating an Ishmael. Don’t get ahead of the Lord. This is a good thing you want to do, but maybe it’s just something sent to distract you from God’s perfect will. You’d better wait.”

Of course there is an element of truth in all those statements, but I had become overly cautious, and I had let fear rob me of my vision to do anything for the Lord. I had, in effect, become like the unprofitable servant who said to his lord, “I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth.”

Although we walk a narrow path, I believe the will of God is broader than many believers think it is. God said to Joshua, “Every place where the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you” (Josh. 1:3). The Lord then proceeded to delineate the borders of the Land, so Joshua would understand that “every place” meant every place within the boundaries that God had decreed.

We, like Joshua, are given promises that suggest a wide variety of places to go and things to do for the Kingdom, a broad range of opportunities. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do...” (Eccl. 9:10). “...whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Ps. 1:3). “Go ye into all the world...” (Mark 16:15).

And like Joshua, we must stay within the boundaries that God has decreed for His people. Our “boundaries” are the commandments of God. “Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” is promised only to the man of whom it is said “his delight is in the Torah of Yahweh, and in His Torah doth he meditate day and night.”

Augustine said, “Love God, and do what you will.” This is a Biblical principle, provided one truly knows what it means to love God. “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 John 5:3).

If we want to do something for our Father’s Kingdom, we need to ask some questions to determine if it is His will. Am I seeking His glory, or my own? Do the goals and methods I plan to use line up with Scripture, or are they contrary to the Torah? Have I met the conditions of His promises? Am I willing to let the Holy Spirit redirect me if I am off-course?

Once we have honestly dealt with these questions, we can begin to move forward. Even if we are slightly off-course, it is better to go forward than to stay stuck in the mud and go nowhere. Anyone who has ever driven a car in the mud knows that it is easier to steer a moving vehicle, even if it’s not pointed exactly the right direction, than it is to try to straighten the wheels when the car is motionless.

If our plans are a little off-course, our heavenly Father loves us enough to somehow redirect us into His perfect will. We see this truth demonstrated in Acts 16:6-10, where Paul and his team tried to preach in one place, but were “forbidden by the Holy Spirit,” then in another place, “but the Spirit did not let them.” Finally Paul had a vision which assured them that they were to go to Macedonia.

Years ago I might have said that Paul and his team were too hasty in their attempts to go to those other places, that they should have just waited for the Macedonian vision. Now, however, I am more inclined to believe that Macedonian visions are given only to people who are at least attempting to go forward and do something for the Kingdom.

Every one of us should be doing something for the Kingdom, or at least preparing to do something, because we all have a role to fill in the Body of Messiah.

In 1 Corinthians Paul compares the individual members of a congregation to the individual members of a human body. Just as each part of our human body is designed and placed at a specific position on the body to perform a specific function, so it is with a body of believers assembled together as a congregation. Just as the hands and feet and various internal organs all have their specific roles and functions in a human body, so all the various individuals in a local congregation have their specific roles and functions.

What role are you called to fill in the Body of Messiah? Some people are called to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers. Some are called to exercise one or more of the supernatural gifts of the Spirit - word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits; faith, healing, miracles; prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues. Some people are called to do practical, administrative types of work that keep the ministry going - office work, organizing, public relations, communicating, delegating tasks, handling money, etc. Others are gifted with the means and the ability to do things like comforting the afflicted, showing hospitality to strangers, caring for the needy, etc.

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Eccl. 9:10). If you see something that needs to be done in the assembly, and if you have the ability and permission from the leadership to do the job, then do it as unto the Lord. If you are faithful in doing small tasks, the Lord will entrust you with greater tasks and eventually you will find God’s calling and plan for your life.

I find it interesting that some people who were called to a specific type of ministry were prepared for that type of ministry by the type of work they did prior to their calling. For example:

Moses was a shepherd of sheep for forty years. This prepared him to shepherd God’s people as a prophet for forty years.

David was a shepherd of sheep. This prepared him to shepherd God’s people as a king for forty years.

Peter and Andrew were casting nets into the water when Yeshua called them to be fishers of men. In Acts 2 we see Peter “casting a net” over the crowd and drawing in a net full of three thousand souls. From history we learn that Andrew went as an evangelist to Russia.

John was mending nets when Yeshua called him. John mended the Body of Messiah by writing epistles to correct doctrinal errors, errors which were like rips in the net that were causing fish to be lost.

Paul was a tent maker. He wove fabric and assembled it into a useable structure to house the inhabitants. In Acts and in Paul’s epistles we see the theological fabric being woven together from the Torah and the Prophets, and assembled together to form local congregations to house the assemblies.

I also know of some individuals in post-Biblical times whose call to ministry had some sort of connection or parallel to their former profession. William Carey, the father of modern missions, was a shoemaker. “And [having] your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Eph. 6:15). “...and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Rom. 10:14f).

George Whitefield, the great preacher of the 1700s, had been an actor in the theater. His oratorical ability drew huge crowds, and multitudes were converted under his eloquent preaching. One famous actor of Whitefield’s generation remarked, “I would give a hundred guineas if I could say ‘Oh’ like Mr. Whitefield.”

Charles Finney, the revivalist preacher of the 1800s, was an attorney when the Lord called him. If you read Finney’s sermons, you can see how he used his reasoning skills to clearly and logically show the falsehood of erroneous ideas, and to lay out the truth of Scripture, just like a lawyer in a courtroom would do.

D.L. Moody, the great evangelist of the 1800s, was a shoe salesman. Again, “How beautiful are the feet...” I have heard it said that successful salesmen often make successful evangelists. That was certainly true in Moody’s case. Moody’s early sermons were apparently not very impressive, though. After hearing Moody preach, a friend politely told him that he would best serve the Lord by just keeping quiet. Moody ignored his friend’s advice, quit selling shoes, and went on to become one of the most successful evangelists in history.

That was D.L. Moody. How about D.L. Botkin? (Yes, my middle initial really is “L.”) Well, D.L. Botkin is certainly nowhere near the stature of D.L. Moody or any of those other men I’ve mentioned, but nonetheless I find it interesting how the Lord used my former line of work to train me for my current role as a Bible teacher.

Before I started Gates of Eden, I was a teacher of ESL (English as a Second Language). For seven years I taught English to students from all over the world. I taught at a state university, at colleges, and at adult education centers. I taught students from ages 18 to 80. I taught wealthy college students from Asia and the Middle East, and I taught poor migrant workers with a sixth-grade education from Mexico. I had to “become all things to all men,” i.e., I had to communicate with them at their own level of understanding. If I spoke way over their heads, they understood almost nothing and became frustrated and depressed. If I taught them at a speed that was way too slow, they became bored.

Teaching the English language to American students whose native language is English can be a challenge. Teaching the English language in English to people who do not know English is even more of a challenge. I had to speak slowly, clearly, and simply, at a speed my students could follow. I had to avoid unnecessary words. I had be careful to not use very many new words that the students might not yet know.

I had to anticipate possible misunderstandings that might arise from the students’ wrongly processing the information I was giving them. Whenever I saw possible ways that the students might misinterpret my words, I had to explain to them what I did not mean, as well as what I meant. I had to let them know that sometimes there are exceptions to the rule, as in forming plural nouns, for example.

I had to use body language, gestures, and facial expressions to facilitate understanding. Sometimes I had to sketch pictures on the chalk board.

I had to have realistic expectations. I had to accept the fact that my students would never speak English without a slight foreign accent. I had to be tolerant of minor errors and flaws in grammar and sentence structure. If I had tried to stop them and correct every single minor mistake, it would have discouraged them and depressed them. I had to be tolerant of minor imperfections in their English.

I had to explain points of English grammar and sentence structure as clearly and as thoroughly as I could. Sometimes after thoroughly explaining some point of grammar, and after writing and reading several sentences on the board to illustrate what I was talking about, I would ask the students, “Do you understand?”

Sometimes their eyes would light up and they would smile and eagerly say, “Yes!” They got it.

But other times their eyes would have that deer-in-the-headlights glazed look, and without smiling they would slowly and hesitantly nod their heads. But I knew that they really didn’t have a clue. They were just nodding their heads to be polite.

So once again, I would explain it another way and use different sentences as examples to demonstrate what I meant. I would have to repeat the information again and again, time after time, with example after example, until it finally penetrated their thick skulls and sank in.

My students were not stupid. Most of my students were very intelligent in their own native language. They were smart enough to get admitted to the university or college, or to make their way to America and enroll in an adult education center. One of my students, a Russian Jew, showed me his resume. He had been a rocket scientist in Russia. He was smart enough to be a rocket scientist, but English was difficult for him. Two other Russian Jews, an elderly couple, brought a Russian book to class one day and showed it to me. It was a college-level science textbook written in Russian. The old couple proudly pointed out the names of the authors. I could read Russian well enough to see that these two elderly people were the authors of this science textbook. They were academic eggheads in their native Russia, but learning English was extremely difficult for them.

After teaching ESL for several years, I was talking to my wife about it one evening, telling her how so much repetition is required, and how so many examples need to be given, and how slowly the students progress, and how frustrating and maddening the slow progress is for both students and teachers.

“I suspect it’s very much like teaching mentally retarded people,” I said to my wife. “I’ve never taught mentally retarded people, but I’ll bet teaching retarded people is a lot like teaching my ESL students.”

Some years after I made this remark, my wife gave birth to Autumn Sunshine, our daughter with Down syndrome. After now having lived with a mentally retarded child for 15 years, I can say that I was absolutely right. Trying to teach English to ESL students is a whole lot like trying to teach mentally retarded people.

As I said, my students were not stupid, and certainly not mentally retarded. But they were linguistically retarded, as is any adult who sets out to learn a foreign language after the language-learning part of the brain has fossilized, something that starts at around puberty.

So how did my experience as a teacher of ESL help prepare me to teach God’s Word to God’s children? It taught me to communicate with people at their level of understanding. It taught me to communicate plainly, clearly, simply, and to make every word count. It taught me to use repetition and give examples to illustrate my point.

It taught me to anticipate the possible misinterpretation of my words, and to avoid those misunderstandings by clarifying what I am not saying - like Paul did when he would ask a rhetorical question and follow it with “God forbid.” It taught me that just as there are exceptions to the rule in English, so there are occasionally exceptions to the rules in the Kingdom - like the hungry disciples plucking grain to eat on the Sabbath because none of those Pharisees who criticized them offered to take them home for a Sabbath meal.

It taught me to have realistic expectations of the people I teach. Just as I had to overlook and tolerate flaws and minor errors that my ESL students made, I have to do the same with people when I teach the Scriptures.

It also taught me the importance of being patient with slow learners. It taught me that slow learning is not always a sign of low intelligence. Finally, it taught me that just as all adult foreign language learners are linguistically retarded, so all of God’s children are spiritually retarded.

Yes, compared to Yeshua, we are all spiritually retarded. Some people are profoundly retarded, and some are only mildly retarded. It appears that the Lord is letting the inmates run the asylum here on earth, with the mildly retarded being put in charge of maintaining some semblance of order and decency. The mildly retarded are doing their best to help the profoundly retarded, but sometimes things get chaotic and messy.

I like to think that I am one of the mildly retarded, but maybe I’m just kidding myself. Maybe my spiritual retardation is far more profound than I realize. But at least I realize I’m spiritually retarded. I’m not sure if the profoundly retarded even realize they are retarded, so who knows? I’ll just be happy when the Lord returns and cleans up the mess and puts the asylum back in order and heals our spiritual retardation. Maranatha!

| DB

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Image: Psalm 71 by Daniel Botkin from his Psurrealistic Psalms Pseries. See this and all Daniel’s art pieces on his art website, DanielBotkin.com.