What God Wants For Your Life

I came home last week feeling bogged down, discouraged, and drained. I tried to hold in my feelings when Tyler asked about my day, but the tears started welling.

“I just want to have a meltdown like a 5-year-old kid,” I told him.

And then the tears started flowing.

“I don’t know what God wants for my life!” I said as I pounded my fist on the couch. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing or where He wants me! I don’t know my purpose. I don’t know what He’s calling me to.”

After a little pep talk, Tyler said words I honestly really did not want to hear in that moment:

“Get in the Word.”

I think I might’ve even rolled my eyes in that moment as the frustration consumed me, but I got ready for bed, sat down, started journaling, and opened up my Bible.

For some reason Ephesians was in my head. I turned to the book, noticed a sentence that was underlined, and read this:

“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.”

I smiled as the tears started welling again; then I read on.

“I ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory, to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust Him - endless energy, boundless strength.”

So here’s the simple truth that set me free and sparked joy in my life: 

When we draw near to Him, we draw closer to who He calls us to be.

And here are 5 things God wants for your life today. Not yesterday, not in two weeks from now… today:

1. He wants you to know Him.

God wants us to know Him personally. He wants a relationship… and the thing about relationships are this: they take work. He wants you to talk with Him, to reach out to Him, to trust in Him. When we get to know Him, we trust Him. And when we trust Him, we are bold.

2. He wants you to love.

Another thing I ran across in Ephesians was this: “His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” Later I read this, “Go all out in your love… a love marked by giving, not getting.” God wants us to give and love on others, not just focus on getting and loving ourselves.

3. He wants you to know the Truth.

“God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love - like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do.” Dig into the Word. There is power in it.

4. He wants us to work heartily.

“Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God.” No matter what career we’re in or what season of life we’re walking through, God wants us to work heartily and do so with a smile. He’s using you despite how small you may feel.

5. He wants you to pray.

Philippians 4 tells us this: “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

It’s not always easy to feel like God is moving in your life when you’re in a season that doesn’t seem to be purposeful or fulfilling. It’s difficult to choose faith when fear really wants to creep in. Or to choose goodness when all the bad parts about this season want to make their way to the forefront of your mind.

But I do know that God is moving. He is moving, and He has a plan that is good for your life. Just as those words resonated with to me, I hope they do the same to you: “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.” 

Declare that today. God is good, and so are His plans for you today, my friend.