Charles F. Stanley - Gods Purpose for Your Life: 365 Devotions

Gods Purpose for Your Life

2020 by Charles F. Stanley

Text in this book was excerpted from the following: Discover Your Destiny, God Has a Plan for Your Life, Living the Extraordinary Life, and Our Unmet Needs.

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C ONTENTS

J ANUARY 1
R ESOLVED

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

P SALM 139:16

G od has a plan for your life that does not change even though your life may take turns that youve never expected. Take that to heart today. The New Year is a time when people review the past and embrace a fresh start. For you, that may carry with it some pain over losses but also hopefulness for whats to come. Be confident in the fact that no matter what the days ahead may bring, Gods loving, perfect purposes for your life remain. They do not change. Nothing is a surprise to Him.

The same God who breathed life into you and formed you in your mothers womb loves you enough to plan for your future and be actively involved in all that concerns you. He has promised that if youll seek Him, youll find Him, and you will discover His awesome will for your life. And the course Jesus has orchestrated for you is never for your harm, but for your edification, establishment, and encouragement. So begin this New Year by resolving to be focused on Him and trust Him for the path ahead.

Jesus, thank You that this year is in Your plan and is guided by Your hand. I resolve to trust in You. Amen.

J ANUARY 2
A LL THE D ETAILS

O L ORD , You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; for You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.

I SAIAH 25:1

W hen thinking about Gods will, it is easy to accept that He has grand plans for the church, nations, and even the world as a whole. But perhaps it is not so easy for you to believe He has plans for you individually. That would mean that the sovereign Lord of the universe cares about you specificallyabout the intimate details of your life, despite your flaws, failures, and mistakes.

Even if we believe that in our minds, sometimes embracing it when things go wrong is not so easy. We wonder how God could let difficult things happen if He really cares for us.

But Jesus says, The very hairs of your head are all numbered (Matthew 10:30). If He would pay attention to how many strands of hair you have, do you think He would be less vigilant about the path of your life? He truly cares about all your details, so entrust them to His hands and count on His faithfulness.

Jesus, I believe You care about my future. Teach me to love You more and entrust each moment to Your loving hands. Amen.

J ANUARY 3
A P URPOSE TO A RISE

Indeed, He loves His people; all Your holy ones are in Your hand. They followed in Your steps; they accept and receive direction from You.

D EUTERONOMY 33:3 AMP

W hat is the reason you get out of bed each morning? Is it because you have a great goal to pursue, a responsibility to fulfill, or some pressure that drives you forth?

Many people face despair as they awake each day because they dont have a vital sense of purpose, direction, and meaning in their lives. Work, relationships, and other earthly objectives cannot always keep us motivated. Without a basic, unfailing anchor of hope, it is easy to lose heart when life doesnt go as planned.

But you were created with a purposeone that can help you arise each day with hopefulness and can motivate you to endure. What is that reason for your existence? God formed you to love you and to be loved by you. His mercies are new every morning. Because of His presence with you, you have everything you need to be victorious.