We face a lot of challenges as Christians during our time here on Earth. But one of the most common issues we run into is trying to follow God’s will. Discerning God’s plan for your life — from where to live and what kind of career you have to who to marry and everything in-between — can leave you stressed and anxious.
The good news is that, usually, we’re overthinking this! When it comes right down to it, God’s will is pretty straightforward, and if we’re obeying His Word, the rest will fall into place.
Let’s talk about it.
The Cliff Notes
God’s ultimate plan for humanity is to believe in Jesus and repent of our sins, and to love God and love our neighbor.
To discern God’s specific plan for your life, seek a relationship with him, read your Bible, spend time in prayer, and trust that He’ll guide you.
It’s also important to surround yourself with the right people, be open to change, be obedient in the small things, look for confirmation, and don’t give up.
What Exactly Is “God’s Will”?
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Whether you call it God’s will or God’s plan, wanting to follow it isn’t a bad thing. It shows that you care about our Lord and want to serve Him. But we have a tendency to way overcomplicate things (myself included!).
Before you can discern God’s plan for your life, you have to understand His overarching will. His main purpose for humanity, the reason He created us. Drum roll, please…
To believe in Jesus and repent of your sins, and to love God and love your neighbor.
John 6:26-29 says:
Jesus answered, very truly I tell you, you are looking for me not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he sent.”
And in Matthew 22:26-39, we see:
“Teacher, what is the greatest commandment of the law?”
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
God created us for community with Him and with others. Our first and most important duty is to be in relationship with Him; that’s His desire — His will — for humanity.
Once we get that right, then we can start trying to discern His specific and personal plan for our lives.
Tips for Discerning God’s Plan for Your Life
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Before we continue, I’d like to invite you to check out my pocket devotional, Read. Pray. Act.: How to Overcome Discouragement & Follow God’s Plan for Your Life. In it, you’ll learn how to overcome discouragement, live out your full potential in Christ, and chase your God-given dreams using a three-step process: read, pray, act.
Now, let’s get into today’s tips.
Seek a Relationship First
The first step in discerning God’s plan for your life is to make sure you have a real, personal relationship with Him. How can you live inside His will if you’re neglecting the most important commandment He gave us?
Now here’s the tricky part. We can’t turn to Jesus with the wrong motives and expect to experience true relationship. If you’re only seeking the Lord for what He can do for you, you’ve got this thing all wrong.
Instead, focus on simply being in His presence and learning who He is. When you do that, the rest gets a lot more manageable.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. -Matthew 6:33
Read Your Bible
It’s been said that if you want to hear God speak, read your Bible. And it’s true, y’all. God literally wrote the Bible for humanity. It’s His love letter to us.
We can learn so much about the character of God — his faithfulness, His love and mercy, His righteousness, His holiness — by reading the Word. Through reading about the history of His people and how He worked in their lives, we can get a better understanding of what He might want from us.
If you ever think you feel God nudging you toward something that doesn’t align with scripture, you can be certain it’s not from God.
Spend Time in Prayer
Communication is key in any relationship, and your relationship with God is no different. Discerning God’s plan for your life requires regular communication with Him.
The Bible is one way He speaks to us; prayer is how we speak to Him. Never underestimate the power of simply asking God what He wants for your life. If you ask Him to guide you, He’s faithful to do so.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. -James 1:5
But here’s the thing. Prayer isn’t just about giving God a list of our needs. It’s about bringing us closer to Him and renewing our minds. The more we pray, the more our hearts’ desires align with His will.
Trust That God Will Guide You
The key to effective prayer is trust. When we pray, we have to trust that God hears us, that He’s for us, and that He’ll work all things out for our good and His glory.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. -James 1:6-9
I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to ask God to guide me and then go right back to stressing out about a decision. What I should be doing instead is trusting that, because I’ve asked for wisdom in faith, God will literally direct my path.
When you truly trust God for guidance, you can relax! You can move forward with a decision because you’ve sought the Lord first.
Even if you’re still unsure which direction to go after praying, simply make the best decision you can with the knowledge you have, and know that God’s got you. He’ll redirect you if you veer off course.
Surround Yourself with the Right People
Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to see what’s right in front of you. This is why godly relationships are so important! Whether it’s your spouse, your best friend, your pastor, or someone else, having a Biblically sound voice in your ear is super beneficial.
When you’re trying to discern God’s plan for your life, search out a fellow believer who’s farther along in their faith journey, and ask for their opinion. I’d also recommend asking them to pray specifically for whatever you’re facing.
Having friends and family who will pray for you and speak truth into you is invaluable.
Be Open to Change
We can’t say we want to follow God but then be resistant when He leads us in a new direction. Often, once we truly surrender our lives to Christ, there are going to be areas He needs to prune.
Pruning can involve a huge life-changing thing (selling your house, switching careers, etc.), or it can be something seemingly insignificant (being vulnerable with your spouse about how you’re feeling, for example).
If you ask God to guide you, be prepared for all that means.
Be Obedient in the Small Things
My pastor often says the best place to start when you’re trying to obey God’s will is with what you already know. This goes back to loving God and others, but it’s also about the specific nudges you’ve felt from Him in the past and where He has you right now.
What’s the last thing He told you to do? Did you do it? Are you still doing it? What about your current situation? Are you being obedient where you are?
For example, if you’re a mom, are you loving your children and teaching them about Jesus? Are you caring for your home? If you have a job, are you doing the best work you can while being a dependable employee?
How you live your life day in and day out matters to God; it either honors Him or dishonors Him.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. -Colossians 3:23-24
Your daily actions might seem inconsequential, but God won’t trust us with the big things until we’re obedient in the small things.
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. -Luke 16:10
Look for Confirmation
I like to tell my kids that there’s no such thing as a coincidence. I firmly believe everything that happens is either a direct result of our own sin, an indirect result of someone else’s sin (or sin in general), or specifically planned by God. Sometimes it’s all of the above.
What does that have to do with discerning God’s plan for your life? Well, if you’ve asked Him for direction, you can be sure He’s going to direct you. Don’t miss the little signs of confirmation He sends!
Let me tell you a quick story about my own life.
A few years back, I was feeling really discouraged in my writing career. I’m talking throw-in-the-towel, burn-it-all-down discouraged. I’d prayed about this and, with tears streaming down my face, asked God if I was even supposed to be writing books.
That same week, completely out of the blue (or so it seemed), an acquaintance reached out and told me how much she admired my work. I don’t even remember exactly what she said, but I do remember that it was as if the words had come straight from the Lord Himself in answer to my prayers.
I could’ve brushed this off as a mere coincidence instead of seeing it for what it really was: confirmation from God.
So keep your eyes and heart open to what He wants to tell you.
Don’t Give Up
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Lastly, I’d like to encourage you to keep on keepin’ on. It’s tough, I know, leaning into Jesus and submitting your whole entire life to Him. Especially when you’re following blindly and things don’t seem to be working out no matter how many times you give it all to God.
But I choose to hope. I choose to believe that God has a purpose for every trial, every struggle, every gut-wrenching change, every disappointment.
Our Lord is a good, good Father. We need only to trust and obey. The rest will come.
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