A Plan for Shalom
God said to His people Israel through the prophet Jeremiah something that reverberates to every single child of God throughout the ages. In Jeremiah 29:11, the Lord speaks:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.”
That word for “welfare” in Hebrew is shalom. It’s a favorite word of the Jewish people—used as a greeting and a blessing upon departure. It means far more than just peace; it implies a deep sense of total well-being in your life. It’s a rich, full word. The Lord says, I know the plans I have for you, My children—plans for shalom, not for calamity, to give you (that’s right, YOU) a future and a hope.
It’s interesting to note that when God said this to Israel, they were going through one of the most intense, difficult times in their history. Considering everything going on around them, it may have been very hard to believe. Really God? In the midst of these crushing circumstances, You have a plan for my life for shalom—not for calamity? To give ME a future and a hope? And God would answer, Yes.
Years ago, Campus Crusade for Christ produced a tract that became one of the most published in world history, translated into multitudes of languages called The Four Spiritual Laws. It was called that because they are spiritual truths that govern your relationship with God. The very first law states: God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.
I want to footnote that phrase: when it says “a wonderful plan for your life,” you have to realize that it’s not according to your own preconceived ideas of what a wonderful plan should be. It is a plan that is according to God’s eternal perspective on your life—and from that eternal perspective, God assures you that His plan for your life is absolutely wonderful.
Over the years, people have asked me on numerous occasions, “How can I know God’s will for my life? How do I discover what His plan really is for my life? How do I discern that? How do I discover God’s will for my life?”
We are embarking now on a three-part study on Discerning God’s Direction for Your Life:
* Part 1: God Has a Plan for Your Life (This message)
* Part 2: Are You Tuned In to God’s Plan?
* Part 3: God’s Signposts for Specific Direction
Let’s begin by seeing what the Bible says about God’s plan for your life; the Lord says in Psalm 32:8:
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”
1. God’s Plan is Personal
God is speaking very directly and personally here. In other words, when God has a plan and purpose, He isn’t just talking about the world in general, or “the church” in general, or even just pastors and missionaries. He is talking about individual believers. This is personal.
Notice the three active verbs God uses:
* “I will instruct you” – Enlightening our understanding; giving us a basic comprehension of His direction.
* “I will teach you” – Pointing out a definite, specific course for each of us to walk.
* “I will counsel you with My eye upon you” – Giving personal direction in the specific, everyday circumstances of life.
God commits Himself directly to His children with a double pledge: “I will... I will.”
With that assurance in mind, look at Psalm 32:9:
“Do not be as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, otherwise they would not come near to you.”
In other words, don’t be stubborn with Him. Because of the truth of His care and His purpose and plan for your life, this is not an area to be stubborn in!
Kicking Against the Goads
Think of the Apostle Paul’s conversion (when he was still named Saul). On the road to Damascus, a bright light shone, he fell to the ground, and Jesus spoke to him in Acts 6:14, saying:
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
A goad was a sharp, pointed stick used to nudge stubborn oxen or mules when they refused to move. You would stick them right in the old rump to get them to move! Now, if an animal was particularly stubborn, it would kick back against the goad—resulting in a sharper, harder prick. You know who is going to win that battle, ultimately! Jesus was telling Saul, You have been kicking against the goads. In other words, there has been the leading, the call, the prodding and the touch of God has been on your life, Saul, calling you into truth and into life—and you’ve just been resisting it. That was His point to Saul on that day.
The Shepherd and the Ram
It reminds me of a story I heard about a shepherd in the flat lands of the Midwest. He was walking his flock down an empty, two-lane rural road when he spotted an 18-wheeler semi-truck barreling toward them in the distance. The shepherd quickly shooed the sheep off to the side of the road, but one stubborn old ram refused to budge. He seemed to like walking right down the dotted white center line.
As the truck got closer, the shepherd kept nudging the ram, but the ram wouldn’t move. Finally, in consternation as the truck approached, the shepherd reached out and whacked the ram across the rump with his staff as hard as he could. The ram bolted to safety just as the semi roared past.
In its little brain, that ram probably thought, Why was my shepherd so mean to me? He never understood about the truck, even as it went by; he only thought the shepherd was being harsh—completely unaware that the shepherd had just saved his life.
That’s what we’re talking about here and that’s what God is talking about. God is saying, Whatever you do, just be sure you’re not being like a horse or a mule that has to be steered by a bit and bridle. Someone may think, I feel like I’m being jerked around by God, not taking into account the possibility that they’re being like a stubborn mule.
Brethren, it’s like James promises in James 4:8:
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
When God draws near to you, what does that mean? One thing is that He has a personal plan for your life!
He will instruct, He will guide and He will teach you the way you should go. He will counsel you with His eyes upon you. His plan for you fits beautifully and perfectly into God’s eternal plan of the ages–NOT your plans for the moment! It fits, and it’s a wonderful plan. It’s YOUR plan! It’s not your neighbor’s plan, it’s yours!
If you have sensing the prodding of God’s goad, you know what I would say? I would say, thank Him, because He cares that much about you. You see, that shepherd could have left that ram in the road, saying OK, if that’s what you want! I’ve got plenty of other rams. But that is not God’s heart toward you. He’s got a personal plan that’s designed for you because He cares about you.
2. God’s Personal Plan Only Applies to Believers
This intimate guidance is meant for God’s children by faith. Look at how Psalm 32 begins in verses 1–2:
“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!”
There is only one way the Lord does not impute iniquity to a person, and that is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on Calvary! That’s the only way! When he says how blessed is that man, it means that man has come to the realization that he needs forgiveness for his sins before a holy and a righteous God. He’s in desperate need of the forgiveness and he has accepted and received the forgiveness that comes through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. There’s no deceit in his spirit, he’s been transparent before God and thus has received His forgiveness because it is a carte blanche and a free gift from God, just to be received. But you come to that point that it IS received. The Lord says how blessed is that man! It is within that context that God promises:
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. (Psalm 32:8).
The Pillar of Cloud
It’s interesting to me when I consider that assurance, and I think about the cloud that led God’s people through the wilderness for 40 years, that that pillar of cloud provided clear divine guidance for them. Yet when they reached the Red Sea, that same cloud moved around behind them and blocked the Egyptian army. To Israel, the cloud was divine guidance and light; to the Egyptians, it was total confusion.
It’s the same with God’s Word: to a non-believer, the Bible can seem like foolishness or nonsense, but to a believer, it is the essential guidebook for life. The same book!
Psalm 25:12, the Lord says this:
“Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.”
When you give God His rightful place in your life, your existence shifts from aimlessness and confusion to a life that is characterized by direction from God! That is a radical change. Even during confusing seasons, a believer can say, “Lord, You have me here for a reason. May I learn what You are teaching me here! ”
Often, that reason comes down to something as simple as developing patience and faith—learning to trust Him. Do you realize that was God’s lesson to Job with all that he went through? That was it! In the Minor Prophets, the prophet Habakkuk was saying God I don’t understand what You’re doing, or why You’re doing this—what You’re doing doesn’t make any sense to me at all! And the Lord’s word to Habakkuk—His man, His prophet, His child—was simply: trust Me in this. Just trust Me.
Either God is real, and He’s living, He’s life, He’s the Creator—He’s all that He says He is and this book is the true Word of God OR—it’s a big joke. I’m here to tell you, this is no joke and, as a believer in Jesus, you can confidently stand on God’s promises and trust that He has a wonderful plan for your life.
3. God’s Plan is Minutely Detailed
That plan that God has for you is minutely detailed. Look at Psalm 37:23:
“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”
He’s talking about one of His men, one of His people. Your steps are established by the Lord. That right there is why you don’t need to see God’s 10-year or 20-year plan for your life. Right there is why you don’t need to see God’s blueprint in order to approve it for yourself, because God assures you that your steps are under His authority, under His control and under His direction. Every one of them.
There are so many times we travel down the road of life and come to a fork in the road where we see so many different paths that we don’t know which one to take, we don’t know which way to turn. We can feel frustrated and worry, What if I make the wrong turn? What is God wants me to go left and, instead, I go right?
If that’s your worry, first I want to tell you that is OK, it’s a good thing. I’m glad you’re worried about that, although you don’t need to worry about that; it just means you want God’s will for your life. If that is your concern—no worries! God tells us in Proverbs 16:9:
“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”
Paul was on his second missionary journey through Asia Minor and present-day Turkey, when he and his team tried to enter the province of Asia, but the Holy Spirit stopped them. He forbade them and said Just pass through. After that Paul tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus forbade him from going there as well, because God had another plan for Paul’s life. Here’s my point: God was guiding his steps, step-by-step, according to God’s sovereignty and God’s will toward God’s plan and His purpose. That’s the way God operates with His children.
You may be thinking, Brian, do you really mean every minute detail? May I remind you what God says in Romans 8:28?
“And we know that God causes all things [ALL things] to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
To those whose faith is in Jesus Christ, God says I will cause everything to work together for good. Every single thing that God allows into a Christian’s life works out to be a part of His plan, works toward what God describes as good.
I remember once trying to visit some church members in a large hospital far away. I felt strongly that I should go see them. Well, the first thing that happened was that I got lost driving there. You know men, I wouldn’t stop and ask for directions and there was no GPS in those days. Finally, I found my way to the hospital—and wouldn’t you know it—the parking lot was jammed full. I could not find a parking spot, even though I prayed for a spot to open close to the hospital. Instead, I had to park a block away from the hospital and walk in. When I got inside the hospital, I didn’t know where I was going and I got completely lost in that massive hospital maze after following multiple colored lines on the floor—only to finally discover that they weren’t even there. I drove back to my office.
You may be wondering, What was the purpose of that one, Brian?
I can’t tell you. I have no idea.
But I will tell you this: I know that God had a purpose even in that frustrating trip—and that’s good enough for me. After all, He is the Lord and we are His servants, aren’t we? Isn’t that what we’re here for, to be servants of the Lord, ultimately? If God decides He wants me to go stand in a corner and face the wall, that’s His decision. If He wants me to meander through a large hospital all afternoon, even the wrong hospital, wrong place, wrong time—that’s OK. He’s the Lord. I know, whatever it is, He has a purpose in that. I know the day is coming, when I’ll be standing face-to-face with my Lord, that He may say to me, Brian, do you remember that day that you got lost going to the hospital, and in the hospital—and it turned out they weren’t even there? I’ll say, I’ve always wondered about that day, Lord. And He’ll say, Here was the purpose. Whatever He tells me, I’ll give Him all glory, praise and honor and I’ll cry with joy regarding what the Lord did there on that day, and how that fit into His plan of the ages.
There have been times when I’ve been late for church, especially when we had six kids at home. We’d finally all get in our vehicle—only to get behind a super-slow car that I could not get around. I hope that’s one of those scenarios that ends up buried in the deepest ocean, never to be remembered again—but when I get to glory and if, for some reason, the Lord says Brian, remember those times when you were late for church and you went through all kinds of frustration? If He chooses to tell me, I know that I’ll see how He used even those times as part of His plan for my life for good—and all the glory will go to Him.
I’m here to tell you that God has a plan for your life, it’s a personal plan, and it’s for you believer, and it’s minutely detailed.
4. God’s Plan is Continuous
Fourthly, it’s a continuous plan. Turn to Isaiah 58:11:
“And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.”
Notice that He said that He will continually guide you. Even in parched, dry places—there’s the sense that that His guiding is a comfort. When you don’t see any direction or any progress, when it seems that nothing is happening, that every door for you is a closed door—even then, He is faithfully guiding you right then.
I think of Joseph in Genesis and how he just wanted to honor God, yet his brothers hated him and sold him into Egyptian slavery. As a slave in Potiphar’s house, he resisted the blatant advances of Potiphar’s wife to go to bed with her, to remain pure before God. What was Joseph’s reward? It was a life sentence in an Egyptian prison.
Yet, two full years later, everything turned around in God’s timing. Here’s my point. God was guiding! He didn’t say, Joseph you’re on your own for a while, I’ve got some things to take care of but I’ll come back and see how you’re doing.
God hadn’t abandoned Joseph; He was continuously guiding his steps.
5. God’s Plan is Definite and Specific
God’s guiding is definite and specific. Look at what happened to Joseph, how he got thrown into prison—yet, he found favor with the jailer, so much so that he began to take oversight of the jail. It was in that context that the chief butler and the chief baker of the pharaoh were thrown into jail with Joseph. Because of Joseph’s role in that prison as the butler and the baker, he interpreted their dreams and—in God’s timing, not Joseph’s— he was released from prison and appointed second in authority over all of Egypt. God’s plan for Joseph’s life, even there in prison, was very definite and very specific.
I love that God says to His children in Isaiah 30:21:
“Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”
Now that is specific and definite direction! God promises direct, clear, and specific leading. While you may not hear an audible voice, God gives a quiet inner confidence and direction. We can have the assurance that we are being led by Him!
If you feel like you missed a turn years ago and that it’s “too late” for you—No! It is not. Even if you were making those moves in absolute rebellion against the Lord, it is not too late. May I remind you that Moses was 80 years old when he got on track with God’s plan for his life. It is never too late with God.
Having said all this, there is still room for special counsel and wisdom from God to you. Those times when there is just doubt in your mind. Which way, Lord? What do I do here? You can pray for specific direction. You can ask Him for that. I like the way the psalmist puts it in Psalm 143:8:
“Teach me the way in which I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul.”
I like what James says in James 1:5:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
He goes on in James 1:6-7:
But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord.”
Recognize your need for His wisdom, ask Him, and trust Him to provide it.
Do you have a part in discerning God’s direction for your life? Yes. Ask Him! Ask Him for that direction. It’s a good thing to do that.
6. God’s Plan is Profitable for You
Look at what God promised Joshua on the eve of entering the Promised Land (Joshua 1:8):
“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”
Psalm 1:2–3 echoes this for every believer:
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.”
This prosperity is primarily spiritual prosperity—the inner man, inner woman prospering! Through it all, God will accomplish His purpose in that life. In Jeremiah 17:7–8:
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LordAnd whose trust is the Lord.“For he will be like a tree planted by the water,That extends its roots by a streamAnd will not fear when the heat comes;But its leaves will be green,And it will not be anxious in a year of droughtNor cease to yield fruit.
God is saying that in your life He will see to it that His purpose and His will for your life will prosper and there will be eternal fruit designed by Him. So, His plan for your life is profitable, whatever that plan is.
Paul’s Reflection
Near the end of his life, facing execution in a Roman prison, Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:7–8:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Was Paul’s life profitable? Absolutely! Through all the beatings, trials, and tears, he finished his course and looked forward to an eternal reward.
When you walk in God’s plan, He promises that your life will be characterized by these three things:
* Joy. Jesus says in John 15:11:
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
* Peace in every circumstance. As Jesus says in John 14:27:
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
Jesus also says in John 16:33:
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
I love the way Isaiah puts it in Isaiah 26:3:
“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,Because he trusts in You.”
* You know what else you’ll find in God’s plan? A contentment that you’ll find nowhere else. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-29:
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
This is the spiritual prospering part of that wonderful plan He has for you. It’s profitable.
7. God’s Plan is Good
With that, number seven, it’s a good plan! People are sometimes hesitant to yield their will completely to God, fearing He might send them into a miserable, deprived life. Young people sometimes think, “I want to give my life to God, but I want to have some fun first!” That is a complete lie and deception. What a misunderstanding!
God says regarding His will for your life in Romans 12:1–2:
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
In other words, lay it all down! Let Him have it! Give it to Him. Turn it over to Jesus Christ, your Lord, who purchased it at Calvary. When you lay your life down for Him, you don’t know exactly what His plan will look like in your life—that’s the adventure of faith in Him. But I can say this about it, whatever it is, it will be:
* Good: Truly beneficial for you.
* Acceptable: Well-pleasing to your heart.
* Perfect: Complete, right, and custom-tailored just for you.
The College Student and Africa
It reminds me of a story about a pastor who preached on surrendering your life to Jesus. After the service, a college student sat in the back sweating bullets, terrified to pray. The pastor sat beside him and asked what was wrong.
The student broke down: “I’m afraid if I surrender my life, God is going to make me be a missionary to Africa!”
The pastor opened the Bible and showed him that God’s will is good, acceptable, and perfect, and that God doesn’t give a scorpion when His child asks for a fish. Reassured, the young man yielded his life to Christ right there.
Maybe a year later, the student called the pastor, bursting with excitement: “Pastor, you won’t believe it—I am so happy!”
The pastor asked, “What happened?”
The student replied, “I’m going to Africa as a missionary!”
When your heart changes, what used to terrify you becomes your greatest joy. You can never out-give God, and you will never regret surrendering to Him.
Personal Testimony & Conclusion
I was 24 years old when I made the decision to lay my life down and let God have it for whatever He wanted to do. I have never regretted that decision for a single minute.
My life has not turned out at all like I anticipated or planned—it has been quite different! But through the ups, downs, fires, valleys, and joys, His will has been and is good, acceptable, and perfect for me. I can honestly stand back today and say, “Thank You, Jesus.”
God loves you, and He really does have a wonderful plan for your life—a plan for shalom (welfare) and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we bow before You. We know that when we have chased our own desires, it hasn’t always been the right path for us. But You see eternity as a loving Father, and You have a plan that is nothing less than beautiful and wonderful. I pray for my brothers and sisters, that we would relish the joy of letting You be the Lord of our lives, trusting Your guiding, Your will, and Your plan. We give our lives to You afresh, excited for where You will take us for the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. And all of God’s children said, “Amen!”
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tthw.substack.com
