God’s Plan for Your Life, The Will of God By Pastor Jim Cymbala

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God’s Plan for Your Life

The Will of God

By Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

출처 https://www.brooklyntabernacle.org/gods-plan-for-your-life/

듣기 https://youtu.be/omz9cnCQqbs?si=ZvyPM3rB3OKCx1Ir

There are some famous prayers in the Bible.

But none, I believe, is more famous than the Lord’s prayer, where Jesus taught [the disciples] [to pray]:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

(Matthew 6:9–10, NIV).

Today I want to focus on that last part: “Your will be done.”

What is the will of God?

It’s an all-important subject.

We are to pray every day that God’s will would be done in the earth and in our own lives.

We can’t grow or become strong Christians /unless we have an awareness of God’s will.

The will of God has two parts to it.

First, there’s the general will of God, which applies /to everybody

—you, me, the guy down the block, the people in our churches.

We know, for example, that “God our Savior . . . wants [all people] [to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth]”

(1 Timothy 2:3–4, NIV).

God’s will is that everyone in the earth would receive salvation /through faith /in what Jesus Christ did

on the cross for all of us.

When we walk up /to someone, we don’t have to wonder,

“Does God love [this person] and want [him or her] [to be a Christian]?”

God tells us, “That’s My plan.”

Here’s another one for all Christians:

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality” (1 Thess. 4:3, NIV).

We don’t have to pray /about it.

It is the general will of God /for all believers //that we live pure, holy lives.

As we read /through our Bibles daily, we learn /about the general will of God /for all of us.

Second, there’s the personal will of God

—the plan and purpose () God has for each of us individually, different from what He has for someone else.

When we read the Bible, we see an expression‎ of the will of God for Abraham:

“Leave [where you grew up], and go /to a land () I’m going to show you” (see Genesis 12:1).

But we’re not supposed to leave [where we grew up] /unless God directs us to.

In the New Testament, Jesus called [certain people] [to follow and be with Him].

Others He sent /from city to city.

He had [seventy-two people] [go out and spread the good news of His love for humanity] (see Luke 10:1).

God has a purpose for each of our lives.

He planned it /before we were conceived in our mothers’ wombs.

God’s plan for us involves specifics—for example, our careers.

Hopefully we’re sensitive and asking the Lord, “What did You call [me] [to be]?

What is my gifting?”

For some people, it’s to be a schoolteacher.

For others, it’s a mechanic, a scientist, or in ministry.

This is why we shouldn’t change jobs /unless we pray about it.

The Lord’s plan includes [who we marry].

Some people don’t believe that,

but how could God love us and not be concerned /about who we spend our lives with?

We wouldn’t say /to our children, “Yeah, just marry anyone—he seems like a nice guy.”

No, we are deeply concerned /for our sons and daughters.

God is even more concerned for us.

After all, He knows [the very number of hairs /on our heads] (see Luke 12:7).

Seasons of our lives, where we move, trips () we go on––we can pray /about these.

God doesn’t say, “Try your best and let’s see /if it works out.”

He says, “Your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21, NIV).

Life is made up /of decisions.("made up of" means that a whole thing is formed, built, or composed of different parts, elements, or members.)

As we make choices /each day, we should be conscious

and ask, “Am I keeping in the will of God?

Am I in the stream of His plan for my life?”

That’s where provision and blessing are found.

It’s when we veer off to the right or the left, saying, “I feel /like doing this,” that we can really get jammed up.

* veer off, vi, change direction suddenly, 이탈하다

* 가주어 It = 진주어 that we can really get jammed up.

But we’re all proud, independent, and selfish, starting with me.

God has to work with us and renew our minds /so we believe that His way is the best way.

He’s our Creator; He’s our Father.

We owe Him our lives.

How can we say “Lord” /if we’re not going to listen /to what God directs us to do?

Jesus prayed /in the garden, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42, NIV).

He didn’t go /to the cross /because it was a nice run in the fields /where He could smell the daisies.

He said, “I have come down /from heaven /not to do my will /but to do the will of him //who sent me” (John 6:38, NIV).

We might think, “Oh, I’ve got to give up [all my plans]?”

But don’t we think () God’s plan for our lives is better than our plans?

When a little boy /named Samuel heard [God] [calling him],

a priest told the boy, “When the Lord approaches, here’s [what you tell Him]:

‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening’” (see 1 Samuel 3:2–10).

That’s a good prayer for us too.

The deepest, most joyful Christian life is in doing the will of God.

Let [it] [be so in our lives].

Prayer

Father, thank [You] [that You love us and have a purpose for our lives].

Help [us] [to hear Your voice]

/so we can walk /in the will () You planned /for us /before we were born /rather than in our own desires.

May Your will be done /in us /today.

If this encouraged you, you can receive Pastor Cymbala’s weekly blog post by email here.

For More Encouragement

• Listen to the full message by Pastor Jim Cymbala: “God’s Plan for Your Life (The Will of God)”
• Enjoy other resources to help you draw closer to God: Brooklyn Tabernacle’s “Next Steps” page, and “God Is on the Throne”
• Visit Pastor Cymbala’s Facebook page