Does God have a plan for me?

from the old testament

• Genesis 12:3 foreshadows God's redemptive plan, extended to all, indicating that through Abraham’s descendants, all nations would be blessed. God's plan for humanity is to know Him and to be saved by Him.
• Isaiah 45:22 says, "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." God calls all people, not just Israel, to turn to Him for salvation
• Ezekiel 18:23 similarly declares, "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?" Here, God expresses that He does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires repentance and life for all, showing His heart for redemption and restoration.
• Jeremiah 29:11–13 further reflects God’s plans for humanity: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." While originally addressed to the exiled Israelites, this passage highlights God’s desire for restoration, hope, and a relationship with those who earnestly seek Him.
• When it comes to specific plans for each person, the Bible is full of personal accounts and verses that tell us God created each person with a purpose in mind. For example, we see God's preparation of Moses to be the one to lead His people out of Egyptian slavery (Exodus 1–4). To Jeremiah, God said, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5). David said to God in Psalm 139, "Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."

from the new testament

• God’s plan is that each person would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through faith in His work on the cross and His resurrection, although not all will follow God’s plan. Peter wrote to a group of churches, "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). God wants to give as much time as possible for as many souls as possible to accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus. Other passages speak about God’s will for people to be saved, such as 1 Timothy 2:4, which states that God “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
• God’s plan is for us to live according to His ways. Jesus told His followers, "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:10–12). This gives believers a framework for life and decision making, an overall plan He wants us each to follow.
• First Thessalonians 4:3 says that God’s will is for believers to pursue holiness, which includes maintaining purity and avoiding sexual immorality as a key aspect of living a sanctified life.
• God’s plans for us also include gratitude. First Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Gratitude is central to God's will for His people, regardless of circumstances, because God can be trusted.
• The New Testament gives many exhortations regarding how we are to live in this world and with one another (e.g., Romans 12; Ephesians 4; Philippians 2:12–13; Colossians 3; James 1). Each instruction helps us to make decisions about our lives, and following each of these instructions aligns our lives with God's will for us.
• God’s will for us involves doing good works as we live according to His ways. Living this way is for our good, reflects His character, and serves as a testimony that can counter misunderstandings or criticisms against the faith (1 Peter 2:15).
• God’s specific plans for people can be seen when Zechariah and Elizabeth were told their son, John, would "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared" (Luke 1:17).
• Ephesians 2:10 emphasizes that God has created us with purpose, designing specific good works for each person to fulfill.

implications for today

Discerning God's plan and purpose for our lives is often a lifelong journey, with different purposes in different seasons. Jesus, in addressing our worries about our lives, said that the very hairs on our heads are numbered and that He sees our worth as individuals (Luke 12:7). Seeking after God, asking Him for direction in all we do, and listening closely for His Holy Spirit are how we discern each next step, which will take us into God's will for our lives. It is the great adventure of following in the obedient footsteps of Jesus Christ.

While we wait for God to reveal specifics, He has already given us several plans in His Word to follow. He has told us to love God and love others (Matthew 22:37–39). In everything we do, we can love God and love others. This is foundational to God’s will for every believer. We can also pursue holiness and seek to walk in the Spirit instead of living for ourselves and for sin (Galatians 5:13–26). We can focus on being a light in the world, doing good works that reflect God’s character (Ephesians 2:10), and fulfilling the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19–20). We can also focus on having humble and grateful attitudes as we wait on the Lord to make specific plans clear to us (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

These general plans serve as a foundation while we navigate the unique details of God’s purpose for our individual lives. They remind us that even when specifics are unclear, we can faithfully walk in obedience to the plans already outlined in God’s Word. In doing so, we align ourselves with God’s broader purpose, and as we seek Him diligently, He faithfully reveals each next step. This process of discovering and living out God’s will becomes a transformative journey, filled with purpose, growth, and the joy of drawing closer to Him.