Does God actually have a detailed plan or specific purpose for your life? I’m sure you’ve said or heard phrases like; “God has a plan for your life,” “It was God’s plan,” “If God wills it,” and “The plan of the ages.” Maybe you’ve read or heard Jeremiah 29:11 quoted: “’For I know the plans I have for you’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’”
This quote comes from the NASB translation. The word ‘plans’ in this verse actually means “thoughts, calculations, intentions, and purpose.” While the original Hebrew can indicate a plan, it does not actually mean a detailed plan. The Hebrew word we are noting is translated 19 other times in the NASB as thoughts not plans.
I bet you didn’t know the KJV (King James Version) of the Bible does not even contain the English word ‘plan’ or ‘plans.’ Revered by many believers as the most accurate translation, the KJV translates this specific Hebrew word 10 different ways and 50% of the time as thought (s). Certainly, God has only good thoughts and intentions for us and for our future.
Plan or Purpose?
To understand the importance of this distinction, we should ask; what does ‘a plan’ indicate? Plans identify a grand design with specific details. If the Almighty had a detailed plan there would be no room for guessing, imagination, or self-will.
If the Almighty had a detailed plan there would be no room for imagination.
God created this natural realm as cycles of variables, with many beginnings and endings. He then began our life consciousness in this earth as an initial place for us to grow and develop. Additionally, God does not rule as a puppeteer or dictator, He clearly leaves room for us to deal with these variables.
Declared and Illustrated
While God does not have a specific ‘plan’ for your life with all the variable details in place, He does have a ‘purpose’ that is intended for your good. Genesis 1 records the purpose God put into motion when He pronounced: “Let us make man in our image (reflection) and likeness (resemblance).”
To clarify His stated purpose, God illustrated His image and likeness in a human life. As our example, Jesus reflectively resembled God by saying and doing what he sensed the Father was saying and doing. Likewise, our declared purpose in life is to be expressions of His heart, as Jesus was! Jesus even prayed that we be as he was; people who hear and follow God’s insightful guidance.
Our declared life purpose is to be an expression of God’s heart, as Jesus was!
Our Guiding Presence
The Almighty’s intention includes a very specific ‘purpose’ or goal, rather than a detailed ‘plan.’ As God’s offspring, He gives us the freedom to decide how soon we respond and to what degree we follow His guidance. As we personally interact with our heavenly Father’s presence, we increasingly become better expressions of His heart.
Yes, God designed life to be an ongoing process, allowing us to work through all the gory and glorious details of working out our salvation (Philippians 2:12). Sometimes we do better than others. The Bible records many examples of various ‘in and out’ and ‘up and down’ responses to God.
Despite the consequences of our irregular actions, God’s thoughts toward us are good. Always wanting the best for His offspring/children, the Almighty can even ‘bring a good’ out of our error. We want to realize that when we pray “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done” we are asking God to open our consciousness to His guiding presence. Then we want to “hear and receive” so we can move in agreement with His leading. (See my book, Created To Relate.)
God’s purpose for our life is not a meticulous plan that requires our adherence for fulfillment.
Receive Rich Rewards
God’s purpose for our life is not a meticulous plan that requires our adherence for fulfillment. Neither is it a someday event or an end result to be reached. On the contrary! Our real purpose is to enjoy daily interaction with God’s insightful presence, as Adam and Eve originally did. In doing so, we become the apple of His eye. And oh what rich rewards we experience in fellowship with our Father as we live within His purpose for our life!
We share clarifying insights on Scripture to bring rich simplicity to your faith walk. Join us on this journey of living out God’s purpose – intimate interaction with our heavenly Father. Grab your copy of The Fellowship of His Presence. Get a few copies to bless your friends and family. We’ve prepared a Guide to assist small group discussions.
Keith Carroll, “The Relationship Guy”
Relational Gospel Founder
