Did you know that God has a plan for your life? Maybe this is not something you have ever really thought about, but it is true, and the Lord is bringing that to your attention today! The Creator of the universe who is all knowing has a plan for you.
Psalm 139:16 gives us amazing insight into God’s plan for your life. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. [1] The Lord is the ultimate planner who has a plan for our life that is beyond our imagination. God wants us to follow His plan for our life out of love for Him, not out of some type of pressure.
The good news is no matter how far you have traveled in life apart from God’s plan there is still time to come back. On his last day, the repentant thief on the cross had just a short period of time to get back to God’s plan. That plan was for him to come to faith, which he did.
God Had a Plan for Samson
Judges 13:2 In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. 3 The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. 5 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.” [2]
This child would be named Samson and God would use him to rescue Israel from the Philistines. Samson was the answer to Israel’s prayer for help against their oppressor and to his parent’s prayer for a child. The angel of the Lord appeared to the mother of Samson before He was born giving her insight into her son’s future. You see, God had a plan for Samson before he was born.
Discovering God’s Plan for Your Life
This visitation of an angel to Samson’s mother was a gift from God. We may wish for something similar, but God works with each of us individually. God still has a plan for you even if an angel did not appear to your parents. As people we may think Samson’s family received special treatment, but God does not think like we do. Isaiah 55:8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. [3]
Sometimes we think that discovering God’s plan for our life is complicated, but it is all about our relationship with the Lord and being guided by the Holy Spirit. Below are some general guidelines I have found helpful.
Guidelines to Discover God’s Plan for You
- Ask the Lord in prayer what His plan for you is. James 1:5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.[4]
- Be faithful where you are. God will not give you greater opportunities or responsibilities if you aren’t faithful with what He’s already entrusted you in the smaller areas of your life. Matthew 25:21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ [5]
- Listen to the Lord. Be in His Word and remember that prayer is a conversation. 2 Timothy 3: 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.[6]
- Wait on the Lord. Waiting is not easy, but the Lord will give us strength as we pray to wait on His perfect timing. Lamentations 3:25The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. [7]
To hear how God has a plan for your life, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/faith-makes-a-difference-samson
[1-7] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.