Ask a Minister

~ A place to find answers to gnawing spiritual questions ~

Question: Please could you tell me how to know what God's purpose is for my life? The Bible says, "A man with out a vision is lost." That is exactly how I feel.

I have prayed for guidance on this for 5 years with no break through. I have taken my previous life circumstances into consideration, my present circumstances, my home life. I have tried various things that I have thought the Lord may have wanted me to move into. I don't mind a battle but what should I be fighting for? I read the Bible regularly; nothing jumps out at me. I hope and persevere, but still God is silent. Please help. I'm confused.

Answer: My understanding from your inquiry is that you are seeking a distinct goal for your life, based on God's will or purpose for you as an individual. That is a worthy ambition.

Well, let's go back to basics. First of all, do you really KNOW personally the God of the Bible? The Scriptures are written for the believers in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Have you personally been "Born again" according to John 3:3?

Do you have a personal prayer relationship with God? See 1 John 1:3.

You will notice that all the epistles of Paul are directed to churches, or to the leaders of churches. Are you trying to live a godly life all by yourself, without having a spiritual shepherd to teach and help you, and without having the fellowship of other believers? You need to be part of a good, Bible believing church.

Perhaps you are trying to do eighth grade work before having gone through the first seven. God will not give you a great work to do before you have been faithful in the little things. Be willing to be faithful in the little things you know you ought to do.

God cannot lie. He has promised to guide us into all truth. Another question I would ask is, are you willing to do God's will, whatever it is, or are you offering yourself to God with reservations? See John 7:17.

I will pray for you that you will have a clear cut answer to your desire.

Additional Resources

A Life God Rewards by Bruce Wilkinson
A More Elite Solider: Pursuing a Life of Purpose by Chuck Holton
A Passionate Commitment - Recapturing Your Sense of Purpose by Crawford W. Loritts
A Person of Purpose: Lessons in Life from God's People by Alistair Begg
A Wonderful Purpose for Living by Charles W. Miller
Discovering God's Purpose for Your Life by Beth Moore
Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God by Henry Blackaby
Finding the Will of God in a Crazy Mixed-Up World by Tim LaHaye
Found: God's Will - Find the Direction and Purpose God Wants for Your Life by John MacArthur
Fulfilling Your Destiny! by David Wilkerson
How Can I Know What God Wants Me To Do? Finding the will of God
God's Simple Plan of Salvation
How To Be Born Again
Knowing God by J. I. Packer
Knowing God's Will: Finding Guidance for Personal Decisions by Blaine Smith
Listening to God in Times of Choice: The Art of Discerning God's Will by Gordon T. Smith
The Grand Weaver by Ravi Zacharias
The Power of the Call by Henry T. Blackaby
To Be Told: God Invites You to Coauthor Your Future by Dan B. Allender
Why In The World Am I Here? Solomon's views on the purpose of life
Would You Like To Know God Personally?

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This page was last updated September 8, 2010.

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