GOD HAS A GOOD PLAN FOR YOU
INTRODUCTION
God created you. He fashioned every fiber of your being. He understands you better than you could ever hope to understand yourself. He knows every detail of your past and has a clear view of your future. He is not at all surprised by today’s events, whether the pandemic or the economic turmoil, and how they are affecting your life.
God can see the consequences of decisions made today, even years into the future. We, on the other hand, are anchored in the present moment. As a result, our choices are based on limited insight and are influenced by what we believe will bring immediate happiness. We assume that what makes us happy today will certainly be good for us tomorrow. Unfortunately that is not always the case.
Many times we live as though we believe that anything good we experience will be the result of our own efforts. But God wants us to rely on Him and to realize that He is the source of all good blessings that come into our life.
God wants the best for you and He wants you to trust Him for it. He has it all figured out. He has a glorious future planned for you. But it requires that you turn over control of your life to Him. He wants you to trust Him with everything. He wants you to have complete faith in Him.
“What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.” – Hebrews 11:1, NLT
Do you have faith in God? Do you trust Him? Trust is developed by cultivating a relationship with God. It requires knowledge and understanding of God’s capabilities and reliability.
The kind of faith God wants you to have in Him doesn’t happen overnight. At the same time, it’s never too late. Start today! It is developed over time as you discover His magnificent attributes and watch Him orchestrate the events of your life. Your trust in God will grow as you walk with Him every day and discover the depth of His incredible love for you. Then, as you get to know Him better your beliefs will be grounded in biblical reality.
Three Prerequisites to Experience God’s Best
Begin a personal relationship with God
God reserves His “best” for His children. Are you part of His eternal family? He offers you all His best, but you can only receive it through His Son, Jesus Christ. He offers you purpose in life, forgiveness for your sin, and eternity with Him in Heaven, as well as family benefits, while here on Earth. [read more]
Be empowered by the Holy Spirit
God has designed you for “supernatural living,” which is dependent on Him for wisdom, power, and resources, available to you only through the filling of the Holy Spirit. You can only live the Christian life successfully by depending on the Holy Spirit to transform you. [read more]
Live life God’s way
Are you living the life God’s way or your own way? Do you know how God defines “successful living”? Are you letting God have His way in your life? God changes people from the inside out. It all begins with heart change that leads to personal transformation, which makes it possible to have healthy relationships. [read more]
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father. — James 1:17
Father Knows Best
Given a choice between good and best, almost everyone would choose the best. But what is “best”? According to society, the best is whatever helps me the most quickly in my current situation. It produces favorable circumstances and accomplishes what I desire. However, according to God, best is whatever helps me the most, not just for this moment in time, but forever. It produces favorable character and accomplishes God’s purposes.
The best is not the same for you as it is for me. It is not a universal one-size-fits-all package. Best is custom-designed by God. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth as you ask these questions:
Will this choice fit into God’s purpose for my life?
God created each one of us for a purpose and anything that interferes with that purpose will distract us.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” —Proverbs 19:21, NIV
It is important to stay focused on God’s plans and purposes and not our own.
Will this choice align with God’s guidelines for life?
God created the universe and established the laws and principles for a harmonious life. When we choose to live contrary to those rules, we will encounter unavoidable problems.
“Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the LORD your God.” —Deuteronomy 12:28
God’s rules for life are like guideposts or guardrails. They keep us on the path to his best.
Will this choice pass the test of time?
Best is always determined by time. What is best right now may look very different a year from now or ten years from now. Circumstances change and so do people.
“Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.” —Isaiah 46:10
Our faithful God’s time frame for life is like a scoreboard clock that we can’t see. No matter what the score may be right now, best is not obvious until the buzzer sounds and the game of life is over. God always sees long-range and guides us within that framework.
The bottom line? Only God can know what’s ultimately best. The purpose for our life is clearly understood by him. Your time frame for life is completely visible to him. Only God is capable of orchestrating the countless variables of life into a journey that leads to his best for you now and into eternity.
“Waiting is the hardest kind of work, but God knows best, and we may joyfully leave all in his hands.” — Lottie Moon
REV JOHN O. ODUM
