Dear Parents, Caregivers and Whanau,

What is Gods will for my life?

I imagine this is a question that often gets asked.

Many of us will be familiar with the words we find in Jeremiah 29:11 “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.”

In Romans 12:2 we read “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Some thoughts for us all to consider, as we contemplate this question:

1. Do well what God has planned for you RIGHT NOW, TODAY.

We dishonour God when we focus on tomorrow’s faithfulness at the expense of todays.

We can get more granular still. You’ve heard it said, I’m sure, that everybody wants to change the world, but no one wants to wash the dishes. We tend to focus on the big matters to the neglect of the small. Yet life tends to be lived in the moment.

God’s will is as granular as expressing love by telling your wife or husband “Let me do the dishes tonight” or expressing humility by approaching a friend to say, “I need to apologize to you.” It’s in going the extra mile to serve a cranky customer, in approaching that person who is alone at the end of the church service, in sharing the gospel with a stranger in that moment when you absolutely know it’s the right thing to do.

It’s as you learn to embrace God’s will in the small stuff that you are preparing yourself to do it in the big.

2. If you are faithful to do God’s will in each moment, you’ll eventually do God’s will in a lifetime.

The fact is that life is a succession of days and days are a succession of moments. If you live each moment in obedience, you will live each day in obedience, and if you live each day in obedience, you will in time live your entire life in obedience. If you are faithful to do God’s will in each moment, you’ll eventually do God’s will in a lifetime. And God will be well pleased.

3. Dig into God’s word

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God’s word brings light to paths that otherwise seem dark. In the Bible you learn how to live wisely in God’s world, which is the first step toward finding your purpose.

In his book “Desiring God,” John Piper says: The pursuit of joy in God is not optional. It is not an “extra” that a person might grow into after he comes to faith.

4. Bring others into your life

Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counsellors there is safety.” One of the main ways God will help you find your purpose is through others. A caveat needs to be made here. Your counsellors need to be wise people you trust.

5. Trust God

But you can trust God to lead you where he wants you to go. As Psalm 23:2-3 says, “He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

I pray that God will continue to lead you and guide you as you seek His will and ways for your life.

Blessings in Christ

Mike Vannoort

Principal / Tumuaki