Bible Verses About God’s Plan for Us: 15 Scriptures

Have you been thinking about how to discover your calling in life?  Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses about God’s plan for us.  We’ll also explore practical ways to discover God’s calling by embracing our current work.

Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you embrace God’s calling daily.

Bible Verses About God’s Plan for Us

Here are 15 Bible verses about God’s plan for us.

15 Bible Verses About God’s Plan for Us

1. Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

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.

God’s plans for us are good and filled with hope.  As we seek him, we can trust that he will bring his plans to pass in our lives.

Even if we step off the best path, he will gently redirect us.

2. Isaiah 40:31

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Do you feel weary?  Are you tired of waiting?

Keep looking to God.

Wait on the Lord, and he will give you strength.

Additionally, Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us what to do while we wait: We don’t lean on our human understanding or reasoning.  Instead, we trust that God’s ways are perfect.  We keep looking to him while we wait, and we trust that he will make the way clear for us.

3. Ecclesiastes 3:1

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

At times, I have tried to bear the wrong kind of fruit in the wrong season.  I’ve pushed to advance my career when God was calling me to invest in my family.  I’ve rushed ahead of God’s timing in my haste.

We can trust that when we seek God with our whole hearts, aiming to walk in his ways, he will open the right doors at the right time.

4. Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Years ago, an older woman encouraged me by telling me that she often experienced the greatest breakthroughs in her life just after renewing her commitment not to give up.  She said that when she felt most tempted to give up, she turned to God and asked for direction.  If she sensed him asking her to press forward, she obeyed.

She often experienced great breakthroughs shortly after obeying.

This reminds me that when I’m most tempted to walk away from an endeavor, I should seek God.  If I sense him leading me to stay the course, I, too, often experience fruit on the other side of obedience.

5. 2 Peter 3:8

6. Lamentations 3:25-26

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

When we faithfully seek God, he rewards us with blessings.  God is good to those who respond to his pursuit and seek his face.

If you feel weary from waiting on God, commit to continuing to turn toward him.  Keep reading your Bible, gathering with others to worship, praying, and pursuing him.  This is how we wait quietly for his deliverance.

7. Luke 18:27

But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Never forget that what feels impossible to us is possible with God.  No situation is too far beyond his ability to intervene.  No dream is too great.  We cannot make requests that are beyond his capability.

Our role is to align our hearts with his heart.  The more we seek him, the more our desires also begin to align with his desires.  When this happens, God moves mountains because our prayers align with his will for us.

8. Matthew 6:25

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

This verse reminds us that God cares for us.  He wants to meet our needs.  Instead of worrying about his provision, he invites us to lift our eyes to him and wait for him to provide for us.

9. Matthew 6:34

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Jesus reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on today.  We can plan for the future, but worrying about it takes away our peace.

Have you been worried about something that has not yet happened?

Remind yourself that much of what we worry about never takes place.  Furthermore, even if your worst-case scenario becomes reality, God will carry you through it.  This leads to our next verse.

10. 2 Timothy 1:7

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Are you worried about an endeavor that feels intimidating?

Remind yourself that the spirit of fear is not from God.  Instead, God gives us the spirit of love, power, and self-discipline.  Don’t listen to the voice of fear.

More Bible Verses About God’s Plan for Us

11. Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

God is working even when we cannot see his hand at work.

He is inviting you to new levels of faith.  Will you trust that he is working in unseen places?  If so, your faith will grow.  God will also help you rise above your greatest worries.

12. Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Instead of gazing at your worries, fix your eyes on Jesus.  Tell him about your worries and ask him to help you surrender these cares into his hands.  He promises to lift your burdens for you.

You might need to surrender these burdens dozens, or even hundreds of times.  That’s okay.  Every time you feel worries arise within you, surrender them to Jesus again.

13. John 12:24

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Serving God can feel like dying to ourselves.

Jesus taught that those who follow him must pick up their crosses and die to themselves.

If your labor feels like it’s killing some part of you, talk to God about it.  He might lead you in a different direction.  More likely, he will show you that he is using the refining fire to burn off the parts of you that are not bringing him glory.

14. James 1:22

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Sowing spiritual seeds includes more than just agreeing with God’s Truth; we need to actually obey him.

Are you obeying God’s Word?

Talk to him about his calling on your life, and he will direct you.  He is calling you to do more than merely listen to his Word with good intentions; he is calling you to action.  Have you followed him?  He is waiting.

15. Luke 8:15

As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

In the parable of the seeds, Jesus referred to seeds that fell in good soil.  These seeds represent people who hear God’s Word, hold onto it, and let it lead to fruit-bearing in their lives.

Has God’s Truth transformed your life in such a way that you are bearing good fruit in this world?

If not, commit to spending time in God’s Word.  Ask God to transform your life with his Living Word.

Let’s now reflect on these Bible verses about God’s plan for us.

Reflections on These Bible Verses About God’s Plan for Us

When we think of God’s plans, most of us question our callings from God.  Most of us take a hard look at the idea of a calling at some point in our lives.  Then we devise elaborate plans about which colleges will receive our applications, where we’ll find work, or how we’ll chase down our dreams.

What if we have it all wrong?

What if a calling isn’t about a job or degree?

You Discover Your Calling by Beginning Right Here

Could it be that my calling is for today, not just for the future?

The Bible makes it clear that planning is wise, but amid our planning, our greatest focus is to be on how we live today: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34).

Your calling is less complicated than you might imagine.

Your Calling is for Today

Jesus’ disciple, John, reminds us of our primary calling with these words: “For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another” (1 John 3:11).

With these things in mind, we have the assurance that determining a calling is not as difficult as we often make it out to be.  Here are a few suggestions for anyone wrestling with a calling:

1. Discover your calling by loving the difficult people in your life today.

Extend grace.

Offer forgiveness.

Go out of your way to help the friend who rarely says thanks.

Be kind to the acquaintance whose moods change like shifting sands.  Your calling is to love the people God places in front of you today.

As you do so, God will change your heart.  He will begin to show you where your passions and talents can be used to help and love others.  When your motivation is love, God will begin to make the path clear.

2. Discover your calling by paying attention to what makes you feel alive inside.

What do you love to do?  Maybe you love to paint, organize, exercise, or cook.

Pay attention to what you love.  Watch for the areas of your life that bring you a sense of fulfillment.

Then, ask God to show you how you might use these passions and talents to help others.  Find this unique balance, and you might just find your calling.

3. You will discover your calling when you serve in the community where you live.

Along with planning for the next short-term family mission trip to an impoverished country (which can be a life-changing and God-honoring experience), or maybe even instead of planning for this kind of trip, begin by rolling up your sleeves and volunteering in your own community.

Give the gift of your time at the community food bank, soup kitchen, or homeless shelter.  Visit a nursing home.  Bake cookies for a lonely neighbor.  Changing the world begins directly out of our backdoors.

4. Find your calling by bending lower.

F.B. Meyer said it well with these words: “I used to think God’s gifts were on shelves – one above another so that the taller we grow, the easier we can reach them. Now I find that God’s gifts are on shelves, one beneath another, and the lower we stoop, the more we get.”

You might feel called to greatness.

Never forget that God does the most powerful work in our hearts and lives when we are willing to humbly serve others.  Look for opportunities to humble yourself and serve others, and God will make your calling clear.

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Your calling is for this very day.  It’s an assignment to love those in front of you right now.  Today’s assignment might feel small, but the visibility of an assignment isn’t an indication of its importance.

Calling All Parents and Grandparents!

As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God.  Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision.  They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love.  You can find all three books here or read more below.

Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!

God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom.  Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world.  I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven!  You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord.  Find this life-changing devotional book here.

Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter

Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion.  I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven.  Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.

Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20.  It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing.  This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start.  Bekah and I will help you right here.

Find Our Family Devotionals Here

Find all three books right here.  They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial!  These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them.  Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.

Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing

God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone.  Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life.  Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here.  (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!

A Free Devotional to Help You Connect With God

God is a good Father, and he wants us to experience his healing, deliverance, and replenishment.  Most of us have learned that we cannot heal, deliver, or refresh ourselves; we need God to do this work within us.  I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment.  Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free.  I invite you to explore the collection right here!