Finding God's Will For My Life

I kind of feel like that's the million dollar question anymore.  "What is God's will for my life?"  We've all wondered it at one point or another.  We stress over it, lose sleep over it, question all that we know in light of it, etc., etc.  It's one of those things that could be a whole lot easier if a big neon sign would come down from the sky pointing us in the right direction.  Or how about that green line that's on all those Fidelity Life Insurance commercials, marking out a path for it's users?  You know, back in the day, God used burning bushes and even donkeys to let people know His will.  Why not now?!

Bottom line: it's something we all search for at some point or another.

Yet in the midst of all my searching, I've been reminded more and more lately that I already know it.  Okay, maybe not in the kind of detail that I'd like it to be spelled out, but I know it nonetheless.

Going back to a journal entry from last year, I wrote this:

My life was always intended to be about loving people to Jesus.

The more I read and reread that, the more simple and "duh" it sounds.  But though simple-sounding, how easily I forget that to be my goal and my calling.  Some people spend their entire life trying to figure out what they should be doing, so what am I going to do with the calling I know God has given me?

Will I be a missionary in Africa? Maybe.  Will I have the opportunity to be a part of cross-cultural youth ministry? Who knows?! Will I remain at NMC in Student Ministries? I'm not sure.  But regardless of where I'll be or what I'll be doing with my life...

My life is meant to be about loving people to Jesus, loving others regardless of race, religion, age, social class or location, in the same way that Jesus loves.

What more do I need to know, right now, about what I should be doing?!


How true that last sentence is.  What more do I need to know?  I know that God has called me to love, serve, encourage, show compassion, & care for others.  I know that He's called me to love people like He does.  And the liberating thing in all of that is, it's up to me how I choose to live those things out each day.  The where and how are up to me!

Yes, I believe in having a plan (to an extent) and not just taking it day by day with no tangible goals.  Yet at the same time, I believe that rather than spending my time worrying about finding the one exact clear cut path that God has for me, I am to make the most of every opportunity to do what I know God has called me to do.

Kenya is just another avenue to do those very things, in whatever ways I choose to do them.  NMC Student Ministries has been just another avenue for me to live these very things out.  Whatever may be around the corner will be another avenue for me to put into practice those things that God has called me to.

I don't know a specific "Go Here, Do This" will for my life.  So if that's what I need to find, well, then I'm behind on getting there!  But I trust that the One who has called me is faithful and I trust that in His time the bigger picture will all make sense.  In the meantime, I'm going to focus on what's here in front of me right now & not allow my current opportunities to slip by me.