God’s master plan for you

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

Most everyone experiences times when they feel they need God’s direction for their life. When you need direction badly and you feel like you have none, it can produce almost a numb feeling in you. What do you do in times like this?

Since you’ve received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you must remember that you are a child of Almighty God who knows the beginning from the end and everything in between. He knows your tomorrow and all the days ahead. That is the very reason you should look to Him for answers you seek. He knew you before the foundation of the world. It was His plan to lead you to Jesus before He formed this world. Ephesians 1:4 NIV says, “For God chose us in Him (Jesus) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” Well, here you are! You know and love Jesus. He knows your tomorrows. He would like you to align your life with the plan that He has for you. But how do you do that? You must first have faith that He has a plan for you. You can’t hear these words from the prophet Jeremiah too often! “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

I know these words bring hope and even comfort but still, what do you do now? Again, have faith in His word, but then know that although you think you have the ability to lead your life, you don’t! You’ll mess it up. Jeremiah 10:23 NIV says, “I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” Get down on your knees and tell the Lord you are starving for direction. Spend time in His Word and prayer and at church knowing that God often directs your steps through verses of scripture read or preached. (The commercial infant changing table that I invented that is now in public bathroom walls worldwide… I invented that and thought about it for three years until one Sunday, God spoke to me in church and said do it now!)

And so, get with God and ask the Lord to reveal His greatest priorities needing redirecting in your life right now. You’ll know what they are as He speaks to you and He’ll confirm them. Some of what God asks you to do, might feel impossible, but if He is asking you to do them, they aren’t.

Write them down because you are going to see God do the miraculous in getting you to His plan and purpose for you! Learn to journal them in notes on your phone or keep a journal with you while you are praying. It’s important to write down things you think God might be speaking to your heart. This is powerful training on how to learn to listen to the Lord and know His voice. It’s life-changing if you embrace this process. And don’t get weird. He speaks to you but don’t broadcast it to the world because you won’t always be right and they’ll think you’re kooky! Do this and you’ll have learned to follow His leading. Years from now you’ll be so thankful that you’ve learned how to hear from and follow Him.

As you learn to seek the Lord, journal thoughts, and pay attention to what you think He is leading you to do (through the scriptures you read. ) Ask Him to bless you, give you favor with others, and direct your steps as you work toward priorities He gives you and you will continue to move forward in His plan and purpose for your life! Remain focused and diligently work on your God-given priorities incorporating them with your necessary day-to-day activities. People want direction from God to be quick, clear, and instant. Sorry, but God doesn’t work that way. He leads you step-by-step. He’s teaching you obedience and building faith and character in you to sustain the plan He has for you. He is going to grow you up! All this happens over time or it doesn’t happen at all!

The Lord cares about your life being significant. He brings purpose to your life as you live for Him. Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Make this verse the promise of your heart that you cling to. Thank the Lord every day saying. Thank you Lord that you care about and are directing even the smallest details of my life! I hold this promise close to my heart and thank you for it!

Remember that life is full of seemingly mundane tasks and obligations that are just a part of life. Everyone experiences those. But when you walk by faith trusting that God is involved in the details of your life, and you are seeking Him in prayer and reading His word, and, you are not only listening, but writing down His priorities and things He leads you to do, then you will experience direction from Him. You will see small signs affirming that you are following God’s direction for you! When that happens, the icky, numb feeling will begin to leave and excitement in seeing God’s hand upon your life will lift you up! And you’ll know that God is leading you in the master-plan He has for your life!

Psalm 37:23 (NLT) The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives.

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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