Embracing God’s Glorious Plan for Your Life
We have been on a journey together, exploring the truth that God has a stupendous plan for each life. No person born on this earth was an accident; from the foundation of the world, He designed us with purpose. Even if voices from the past claimed you were unwanted or unplanned, that lie crumbles before the Creator who formed you uniquely. God looks at every soul—eight billion strong—and declares His love. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Yet we often drift far from this reality, filling our days with busyness instead of seeking His vision. What if we chose instead to align our hearts with His eternal intent, allowing Him to transform us into the image of His Son?
The Uniqueness of God’s Design
As written in Genesis 1:26 (NKJV): “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'”
Sin entered the world, and humanity began crafting gods in our own likeness—idols that reflect our flaws rather than His glory. I have traveled to places like India, where millions of deities exist, each one a distorted mirror of human imagination. Even we who know Christ sometimes fall into this trap, trying to shape God to fit our accents, our cultures, our limitations. The Word calls us to the opposite: behold Him in the mirror of Scripture and be changed into His image, from glory to glory. Romans 8:29 declares that those He foreknew, He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. That is the core of His plan—not our roles as preachers or players, but transformation into Jesus’ likeness.
Jesus Himself had two missions: to reveal the Father and to die on the cross. For three and a half years, He walked Galilee, declaring, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Then, in John 20:21, He commissioned us: “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Our calling is not merely to tell the world about Jesus but to show Him through lives that burn like unconsumed bushes, drawing others to the fire of God. Everywhere we go, people should encounter His presence in us, turning from darkness to light. I preached on this last week: God has a glorious plan, yet how far are we from it? The danger lies in our generation’s busyness—we fill every moment, rarely pausing in silence to reflect or meditate.
I have noticed that God speaks clearer when I switch off my devices and give Him my full attention. You already have His undivided gaze; the eyes of the Lord run to and fro, seeking hearts aligned with Him. He is not a multitasker—He sustains the universe while focusing entirely on you. Match that intentionality. Bake time into your day, especially at the start, to abide in Him. For me, that means no Bible open yet, just gazing at Him. Cycles exist in creation—days, weeks, seasons—and rebooting with God each morning aligns us with His mercies, new every dawn.
Seeking God’s Daily Intent
As written in Luke 2:49 (NKJV): “And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?'”
Every morning, I come to the Lord with the same heart I had on the day I surrendered: “Lord, I call on You. I die to me and live to You. Wash and cleanse me in the blood of Jesus.” I do not hunt for sin—that is the Holy Spirit’s role. Self-righteousness creeps in if I feel clean on my own, or condemnation if I dwell on failures. Instead, I stand before Him, asking questions that recalibrate my soul: “Lord, what do You think of my life? What will You say to me when I stand before You? Would You say it today, so I can engage with it?”
I do not want to be ashamed at His coming. Some will be, even those born again and washed in His blood. I refuse to be a slumbering virgin, caught without oil. One day, soon and very soon, we will see the King. Until then, I ask daily: “Lord, show me Your plan for the rest of my life—and for today.” I want to be about my Father’s business, like Jesus. Knowing what He has not called me to do is often harder than discerning what He has. Jesus turned away family disputes, saying it was not His mission. He set His face like flint toward Jerusalem, undistracted.
Remember the feeding of the five thousand? The crowd rioted to crown Him king, but Jesus spoke hard truths: “You must eat My flesh and drink My blood.” Thousands fled, unsubscribing from His message. Even His disciples wavered, but Peter said, “Where else can we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Do not miss God’s plan by chasing distractions. One prayer I pray often: “Lord, teach me to love well today.” Loving people means owing them the debt of genuine care, even amid disagreement. Speak truth in love, but let love come first—it is the anesthetic before the procedure.
Internal Transformation First
As written in Romans 12:2 (NKJV): “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
God’s plan starts inside out. He is less interested in altering circumstances than in changing us. His promises are relational, not circumstantial—made to you, not your bank account or neighborhood. We cry, “Lord, change this or that,” but true kingdom shift flows from within. Sin, anger, lust—all emerge from the heart, not external triggers. No one makes you sin; they provoke what is already there. Laws cannot cure impurity; only a renewed heart can.
I once carried a heart filled with poverty, inherited from a poor upbringing in the UK and homeless years in France. Ministry reinforced it: God provides, but only just enough. Then, around 2005, while preaching here, an elder named Bob approached: “Graham, the Lord wants to set you free from internal poverty.” It was not criticism but revelation. I asked him to pray, and in days, God shifted something profound. This has nothing to do with possessions—it is about seeing as God sees.
Years later, in Belgium, Bob and I taught on kingdom finance. A young woman, dragged there by her father, resisted every word. At the end, we took an offering—generous for that context. The Lord prompted me to give it all to her. She fell under the Spirit’s power, weeping. Her father explained: she was not a believer, homeless the day before, drowning in debt. The offering covered everything; businessmen offered jobs and housing. She got saved, filled with the Spirit. That was the point—sowing God’s Word to transform lives.
What needs uprooting in your heart before God plants anew? We inherit cultural limits: “You can only go so far.” Yet we are new creations, not bound by past patterns. Even if your lineage carries baggage, let the blessing start with you. The past is under the blood; from now, walk in promise. Search your heart: “Lord, show me limiting beliefs.” I am free in the kingdom regarding money—every need prompts, “That’s easy.” God views sickness, sin, all trials the same: “Which is easier—to forgive or heal?” He does both.
Living with Purpose and Intention
As written in Habakkuk 2:2 (NKJV): “Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.'”
Do not live your Christian life by accident. Most plan retirement more than spiritual growth. Ask: “Lord, who do You want me to be?” Dream with Him; write it down as an act of faith. See the vision, make it plain, read it, run with it. God hides things for kings to search out—ask persistently. He reveals layer by layer; we could not handle the full eternal scope. Journal daily: “Lord, show me Your plans, Your heart. Map Your eternal will onto my day.”
Bring a Bible to church—not just an app. Write notes, underline truths. Do not forget revelations; revisit them. The Word is creative, not descriptive. When God called Gideon a mighty man, it became reality. To Abraham, “father of nations”—despite appearances. Believe His promises over what you see. He calls you righteous; awake to it daily, and sin loses its grip. Put off the old, put on the new, renewed in your mind.
One day, we enter our last week. A famous cartoonist recently turned to Christ amid health fears, drawing millions in prayer. Do not wait. Examine now: integrity, love for His Word, growth in faith, true worship. I aim to worship more this year than ever—join me. Speak God’s Word over your life: “I am a child of God. I am righteous. I overcome.” Do not wander; declare, “It is written.”
In synthesizing this, God’s glorious plan unfolds as we seek His vision daily, allowing internal renewal to shape our external world. Let Him define you, uproot limits, and propel you into purpose. Align with His heart, write the vision, and run.
Selah.
Scriptures for Study: Genesis 1:26, Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139:14, John 14:9, John 20:21, Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:29, Ephesians 2:6, Luke 2:49, Psalm 46:10, Lamentations 3:22-23, 1 Corinthians 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, Habakkuk 2:2, Proverbs 25:2, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:22-24, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 3:29, Romans 5:17, Proverbs 28:1.
10 Questions for Reflection:
- What limiting beliefs from my past or culture might be hindering God’s plan for me?
- How can I make space each morning to give God my full attention and seek His vision?
- In what areas of my life do I need to ask, “Lord, what do You think of this?”
- What practices can I adopt to ensure I am about my Father’s business daily?
- How does seeing myself as righteous through Christ change my actions and choices?
- What internal changes must occur before my external circumstances align with God’s will?
- In what ways have I been conforming to the world rather than being transformed by renewing my mind?
- How can writing down God’s promises help me run with His vision for my life?
- What does it mean for me to love others well, even amid disagreement?
- If I stood before Jesus today, what would He say—and how can I live accordingly now?
