Your Assignment Is…

by: Annagail Lynes

“For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome” (Jeremiah 29:11 AMP).

Have you ever been suspicious of God’s intent? Have you thought God’s best was like spinach—something you hated but needed to grow? God’s intention is not to harm you.

How do you find God’s plan for your life? Ask yourself: “Am I willing to do whatever God tells me to do–no matter what?”

When you can answer “Yes,” then you can concentrate on discovering that plan.

Ever watched the news and heard something that made you lie awake at night or cry? Something that made you pound the table, screaming, “Someone has to do something?”

Jot down a list of things about which you are passionate. The list will give you a clue to your destiny.

When they hear the word passion, Christians assume all passion is evil. God’s passion guides us to our destinies while the devil’s perverts everything that is pure and good.

Think about these questions:

• About what are you passionate?
• About what do you feel strongly?
• What type of issues, needs, opportunities, activities and ideas motivate you? Give you energy?
• What have you been dreaming about for years?
• If you could meet any need in the world without worrying about money or resources, what would it be?

For years, I dreamed of combining my passions–God, helping teens and writing. My consuming desire was to start a publication for Christian teens. I questioned my independent publisher friend about every aspect of the business.

But was it God’s will for me? I still didn’t know. God gave me my writing talent, yes, but did He want me to use it this way? I didn’t know that either, so I sought God.

I remembered what Matthew 18:16 says, “…that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.”

I was attending counseling at a local church. The counselor prayed over me. She felt impressed by God that yes, I was supposed to do this.

The more I meditated on what she said and prayed about it, the more the desire grew within me.

Joyce Meyer teaches that the way to know whether something is of God is to step out and find out. If Peter didn’t step out of the boat, he wouldn’t have walked on the water. I started the publication to see what would happen.

At first, everything went smoothly. I recruited volunteer writers via the Internet. Soon afterward, they wanted me to add sections to the publication that were in contradiction to what God spoke to me, such as interviewing sports figures and cartoonists.

Then I thought to myself, “Oops, I blew it! I missed God!” When you do the will of God, satan will attack you because he feels threatened. Had I quit then, I would have never experienced the joy that comes from doing Gods’ Will.

Let’s discuss four steps to bringing forth your vision:

1. Uncover the Holy Spirit’s Will And Desire. How do you do that? By praying. Set aside time to pray about God’s plan and desire for your life. If you have a prayer language, use it. When you pray in tongues, in your prayer language, you pray God’s perfect will. The more you pray, the clearer God’s vision will become. Don’t do all the talking. Take time to listen for God’s direction. Pay attention to His whispers, cues and impressions.
2. Focus On God’s Word And Will Daily. On what do you meditate? About what do you think? What do you roll around in your mind? Joshua 1:8 commands us to meditate on the Word of God day and night in order to make our way prosperous. As we make God’s Word a priority in our minds, it will revolutionize our thinking to God’s way of doing things.
3. Serve Others. While you are listening for your marching orders, volunteer in areas of interest to you. If you are good at math, tutor students who are struggling with that subject. If you like to work with seniors, volunteer at the local senior center or nursing home.
4. Look At Your Talents And Abilities. What do you do well? Make a list of those things. How can you use those gifts to help others?

Now that you have a clearer picture of your future, continually pray about God’s plan. Discovering your purpose is a journey. If you take one step and then another toward that goal, you will eventually come face-to-face with your destiny.

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