Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser
Have you ever watched a master artist at work? Before the first brushstroke touches the canvas, the masterpiece already exists in their mind. Every colour, every texture, every detail – planned in advance. Now imagine your life as that masterpiece, and God as the master artist. But here’s the extraordinary thing – you’re not just a painting waiting to be completed. You’re a living work of art, already set in motion. The Bible tells us in Ephesians that we are God’s handiwork, created for good works that He prepared in advance for us to do. Think about that for a moment.
Your future – those divine appointments, those moments of purpose – they’re not just ahead of you. You’re walking in them right now. The question is, are you embracing the purpose God has set before you, or are you waiting for a perfect moment that may never come? This article explores what it means to step into God’s plan today and live with purpose, faith, and intentionality. Be blessed as you read!
God designed you for good works.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV).
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV)
Everyone has a unique plan that God has given them. You are not a mistake. We are His “workmanship,” which means we have been created with purpose. The term “workmanship” refers to something that is crafted or designed by an artisan. God has specifically called, planned, and designed you, placing you in the time and place you are in right now because He has a purpose for your life. We are God’s literary work – His masterpiece.
Just like a painting cannot claim to create itself, we are the creations of a divine artist. God has made us who we are, and through our union with Christ Jesus, He has created us for a life of good deeds that He has already prepared for us to accomplish. God has ordained a perfect plan for each of our lives (Jeremiah 29:11), but He does not force that plan into reality. We have the choice (Deuteronomy 30:19). This serves as a call to action, encouraging believers in Christ to carry out the good works that God prepared for us in advance. There is a significant difference between being saved by good works and being saved for good works, as noted in Ephesians 2:10.
This verse is preceded by Ephesians 2:8-9, which emphasises that salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned through good works. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Good works do not earn us salvation, but they affirm that salvation has been received in our lives. Good works cannot create a new nature, but a new nature should produce good works.
I want to remind you that if you’ve been looking solely at your own strengths, talents, and gifts to discover the plan the Lord has for you, then you’re mistaken. Why are you mistaken? The Bible states in Jeremiah 10:23, “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” What a powerful statement! This should be a relief for both you and me because it’s not about what we think is best. We aren’t wise enough to direct our own paths. Instead, we have the opportunity to truly discover our calling by looking beyond ourselves and nurturing our relationship with the Lord. It’s a tremendous blessing to understand that it’s not about being smart enough or talented enough; it’s about being surrendered to what God has called us to do.
Many times, we find ourselves asking questions like, “How can I know what God wants me to do?” and “How can I fulfil the calling that God has for my life?” I’m glad you’re asking these questions because hearing the voice of God is often simpler than you might think. There have been many moments in my life when I’ve looked back and said, ‘That was the Lord; I should have recognised that,’ or ‘I shouldn’t have done that because the Lord warned me about it.’ While it’s valuable to reflect on these experiences, it’s equally important to understand how we can fulfil God’s calling for our lives as we look to the future. Taking your calling seriously is crucial.
" Everyone has a unique plan that God has given them. You are not a mistake. "
Understand that the Spirit of God living inside you has immense potential to accomplish great things through you in the future. Recognising this potential will motivate you to seriously consider God’s call in your life. God is always speaking to us. You may feel that you don’t hear the voice of the Lord, but that belief is incorrect because the Bible says in John 10, “My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me.” Many born-again believers struggle with this truth based on their personal experiences and doubt that they can hear God’s voice. However, the Word of God is true, regardless of our feelings. The Bible teaches us to trust in God’s truth rather than our emotions, as Romans 3:4 states, “Let God be true, and every man a liar.”
The word of God promises all who are God’s sheep (i.e., those who are born again) that they not only can hear His voice, but they do hear it. Therefore, I choose not to follow my emotions or claim that I’ve never heard the voice of the Lord. The truth is, I have heard His voice; I simply do not always recognise it. The alignment between what Scripture says and our experiences suggests that it is our new, born-again spirits that hear God’s voice. While God has spoken and does speak audibly at times, very few of us experience this. Instead, God communicates with our inner being (spirit), and it is our inner being that hears Him.
There are several reasons why we may not recognise God’s voice. One reason is that we may not always be listening for it; instead, we often trust in our own understanding. Another reason is that we can become distracted by the circumstances surrounding us in the world. The issue arises when we are not sensitive to or guided by our spirits, but instead walk in the vanity of our minds (Ephesians 4:17-18). The Bible refers to this as walking in the flesh rather than in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18). In Mark chapter four, Jesus talks about the various types of soil that represent our hearts, noting that the life of God can be choked out by the cares of this world. Engaging in practices such as prayer, Bible study, fasting, and fellowship are effective ways to redirect our minds away from worldly distractions and back to the voice of our Shepherd, who is always communicating with our spirits (John 4:24).
God speaks to our spirits, but our minds do not always listen. Similarly, Satan speaks to our minds, but our spirits are not receptive to his voice. Our born-again spirits know all things (1 Corinthians 2:16, Colossians 3:10, and 1 John 2:20) and are incapable of sinning (1 John 3:9). Our born-again spirits will never listen to the voice of a stranger. Therefore, if we choose to walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfil the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). This is what I mean when I talk about pursuing God’s plan for your life and truly walking into your future in accordance with that plan. So, this is what I mean when I talk about pursuing God’s plan for your life and truly walking into your future while following His purpose for you.
What’s truly wonderful about the Lord is that He will expand you beyond your own limitations and perceptions of yourself. It’s not within our own understanding to know the right path to take; it all revolves around our relationship with God. As we place our trust in Him, He broadens our borders and expands our territories. He begins to whisper to us about our destiny, our calling, and the plans He has for our lives, guiding us to follow Him. This should bring us all a sense of relief because we all have the same opportunity. It’s not based on how good you are, how talented you are, how well you performed in school, or how successful you were in sports. None of that matters – God loves you, and He has an incredible plan for your life. You will find the greatest satisfaction as you uncover that plan.
You need to understand that, first and foremost, God’s plan for your life cannot be found in your own gifts, abilities, or talents. Secondly, God’s plan for your life is a good, well-thought-out plan – an amazing, anointed, and blessed plan. Remember, you are not a mistake; you were placed in this world at this time and in the circumstances you find yourself in for a specific purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “I know the thoughts that I think towards you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Then in John 10:4-5, Jesus said, “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers” (John 10:4-5). These verses of scripture may seem contrary to our experiences. The Bible and current observations show that believers can hear the wrong voice and be led into error.
