Justin J. Petrick

So many times we get ourselves so worked up because we try and figure out life according to our own expectations and understanding. The fork in the road that we come across, seemingly in the most inopportune times, creates stress and anxiety because we don’t always know what to do. Then it becomes easy for us to turn this frustration towards God because we believe that He is the one we are waiting on.

But is He?

It is easy for us to relate to God in this realm where we are governed by time. There is a past, present, and future, and we can get stressed by all three because we can place our identity in past experiences, stress over present circumstances, and fear the unknown future. It’s almost like we are in a no-win situation when it comes to time.

This is exactly why we shouldn’t worry about what to do in life. This is exactly why we need to relax, because God already has everything in our life planned out. He has doors ready to be opened once we get to them. He has direction for us when we come across forks in the roads. And what is really cool, He has detours for our life already set in place for when we make decisions that are not in accordance to what He has planned for us. That is the kind of God that loves us. We are not the ones waiting on God, but rather He is the one waiting on us to get where He wants us to go.

First of all, we need to understand that God is not limited by time. God is a Spirit that lives in the spiritual realm where time is nonexistent. The Bible says that one day is to a thousand years and a thousand years is to one day for God (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8). God has literally seen our life from the time of our birth until when we leave this natural realm to spend eternity with Him.  This is why God sees us sinless, because he has already placed every sin we have and will ever commit on the body of Christ. And for another fun little example, this is why despite God saying Adam will die the day he eats of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Adam lived 930 years old.

Genesis 2:17 (NIV): but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Genesis 5:5 (NIV): Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.

This is why no man in the Bible has, or will ever, live to be over 1,000 years old. Because of the curse, we will all die within one of God’s days.

So God has seen our life from birth till the death of our natural body. Now, let us understand that God has planned each day of our life before even one came to be:

Psalm 139:16 (NIV): Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

I know this can be hard to believe, but God has literally woven together a plan for our life in accordance to how He created us. This means that He has a purpose for you that fits perfectly for how you have been created. How wild is that? Not only has God put together a plan for every day of our life, but He also desires to guide our steps!  That is steps in case you missed it the first time!

Proverbs 16:9 (NIV): In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.

Psalm 37:23 (NIV): The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way.

So, if God has planned each day of our life before we were born, and He desires to guide our steps, are we waiting on God for direction or is He waiting for us to fulfill what He has planned? Most often it is God patiently waiting on us because it is easy for us to do what we think is best rather than being obedient to His will for our life, which is infinitely better for us in all aspects!

So how do we find this path that God has already orchestrated?  Well, let us first see where it is not found:

Proverbs 20:24 (NIV): Man’s steps are ordained by the LORD, How then can man understand his way?

Jeremiah 10:23 (NIV): I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.

We were not created to figure out life. Sometimes we don’t know what to do because we were not created to carry those cares (1 Peter 5:7). This is not because God desires control, I mean He has given us free will for crying out loud, but because He loves you so much that He knows what life will bring you the most joy and happiness because He has created it perfectly for you.

Decisions are not meant to be made with our understanding. Decisions for our life are meant to be an act of obedience to what God has lovingly prepared for our life. This is why the direction for our life is only found in God’s presence, where peace, joy, and righteousness reigns.

Psalm 16:11 (NIV): You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Nothing will satisfy you more, nothing will fulfill you more, nothing will give you a greater sense of meaning and purpose than fulfilling what God has created you for. God has every direction for your life already planned out. Rather than worrying about what to do next, have some faith and spend time in God’s presence. In his presence you will find your specific path, along with the joy of the LORD!