We don’t get to decide God’s purpose; instead, we discover it. He has a unique plan for each one of us, and to find out what it is, we need to stay close to Him through prayer and Bible study. We may feel overwhelmed with problems, unsure, and unworthy of God’s plan, but He sees our potential. David’s family didn’t think he would amount to much. But where they saw a shepherd boy, God saw a king. Looking back, David wrote: ‘You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me…I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!’ (Psalm 139:16-18 NLT). You’re unique – and so is God’s plan for you. It’s encouraging to read stories and listen to great achievers and think, ‘If they can do it, so can I!’ But their purpose isn’t yours; the secret is to learn from others without trying to replicate them. It’s not enough to have a good idea; it must be the will of God. He had this to say about the prophets in Jerusalem: ‘They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.’ We don’t get to decide what our vision will be; we discover it by asking God for direction. And His Word says He’ll tell us which way to go: ‘If you go the wrong way – to the right or to the left – you will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the right way. You should go this way”’ (Isaiah 30:21 NCV).

What Now?

Has God given you a vision for your life yet? If not, spend a bit of time today asking for His guidance in what He wants you to do. And if He has, take time to thank Him for seeing the potential in every single person.