Who’s Plan Are Your Pursuing: Yours or God’s
Introduction
Most of us have plans. We have goals for our families, careers, finances, ministries, relationships, and futures. We make decisions, solve problems, pursue opportunities, and ask God to bless what we are doing.
But there is a more important question:
Whose plan are you pursuing—yours or God’s?
You can love God, have good intentions, work hard, accomplish good things—and still spend much of your life pursuing things God never asked you to pursue.
God did not create us simply to develop our own agenda and ask Him to help us accomplish it. He created us for His purposes. He has prepared good works for us to walk in, and He invites us to participate in what He is doing.
Jesus showed us how.
He submitted Himself to the Father, listened for His direction, obeyed what He received, trusted Him through difficulty, sacrificed Himself for others, and completed the work the Father gave Him to do.
He then gave us a remarkably simple invitation:
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” — John 10:27
God has plans and a purpose. Our responsibility is to surrender our competing agenda, listen to Him, follow where He leads, and depend upon His grace to accomplish what we could never accomplish alone.
God Has Plans and a Purpose
Your life is not an accident, and salvation is not merely about getting to heaven someday. God is accomplishing a much larger purpose in Christ, and He created and redeemed us to participate in it.
Scripture progressively reveals that God has an overarching purpose, that He prepared work for us within that purpose, and that He works in us to accomplish it.
| Truth | Key Verse |
|---|---|
| We were created according to God’s will and for His pleasure | Revelation 4:11 — “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” |
| God has an overarching plan centered in Christ | Ephesians 1:9–10 — “…according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself… that… He might gather together in one all things in Christ…” |
| God prepared specific work for us to do | Ephesians 2:10 — “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” |
| God works in us to accomplish His purpose | Philippians 2:13 — “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” |
Notice the direction.
God has a purpose. God prepares the work. God works within us. We walk in what He has prepared.
The Christian life is therefore not primarily:
My plan → My effort → Ask God to bless it
It is:
God’s purpose → God’s direction → My faithful response → God’s grace working through me
The question is not merely, “Lord, will You bless what I am doing?”
A better question is:
“Lord, what are You doing, and how do You want me to participate?”
Self Competes With God’s Purpose and Plans
If God has prepared work for us, why don’t we automatically walk in it?
One major reason is self.
Our natural tendency is to organize life around what we want, what we think, how we feel, and what seems best to us.
“All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way…”— Isaiah 53:6
Self-centered motives can cause us to pursue what benefits, pleases, protects, or elevates us. Fleshly desires can prioritize comfort, pleasure, recognition, security, or control. Our emotions can push us toward one path while fear drives us away from another.
Our own understanding can be equally dangerous.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5–6
This means the problem is not limited to obviously sinful choices.
Even well-intentioned plans can be misaligned with God’s purposes when we develop and pursue them without His direction.
We can be busy doing good things while missing the specific things God prepared for us to do.
The issue is ultimately one of leadership:
Who is directing my life—me or God?
Jesus did more than tell us to follow Him. He demonstrated what a life completely surrendered to the Father looks like.
His life gives us a model for fulfilling the work God gives us.
| Jesus Modeled | What He Did | Key Verse |
|---|---|---|
| Humility | He humbled Himself rather than pursuing His own status or glory. | Philippians 2:7–8 — “…He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” |
| Submission | He surrendered His will to the Father. | Luke 22:42 — “…not My will, but Yours, be done.” |
| Dialogue With the Father | He regularly withdrew to pray. | Luke 5:16 — “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” |
| Being Led | He did not operate independently from the Father. | John 5:19 — “…the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do…” |
| Obedience | He consistently did what pleased His Father. | John 8:29 — “…I always do those things that please Him.” |
| Faith | He trusted His Father and acted accordingly. | John 11:41–42 — “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me…” |
| Sacrificial Service | He came to serve rather than be served. | Mark 10:45 — “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life…” |
| Enduring Suffering | He remained faithful through rejection, abuse, and suffering. | 1 Peter 2:23 — “…when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten…” |
| Forgiveness | He extended mercy even to those hurting Him. | Luke 23:34 — “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” |
| Finishing His Assignment | He completed the work His Father gave Him. | John 17:4 — “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” |
The final statement is particularly important.
Jesus could look back on His earthly ministry and say:
“I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”
What greater definition of a successful life could there be?
Our goal should not merely be to reach the end of life having accomplished many things.
Our goal should be to accomplish the things God gave us to do.
If self competes with God’s purposes and Jesus modeled complete submission to the Father, our response becomes clear.
Jesus did not invite us merely to believe certain things about Him. He called us to follow Him.
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” — Luke 9:23
Denying ourselves does not mean rejecting the personality, abilities, gifts, and individuality God gave us.
It means surrendering self-rule.
Scripture describes several dimensions of that surrender.
| Response | Key Verse |
|---|---|
| Submit to Jesus as Lord | Romans 10:9 — “…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus…” James 4:7 — “Therefore submit to God…” |
| Deny self and follow Jesus | Luke 9:23 — “…deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” |
| Crucify fleshly desires | Galatians 5:24 — “…have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” |
| Put off the old and put on the new | Ephesians 4:22–24 — “…put off… the old man… be renewed in the spirit of your mind… and… put on the new man…” |
| Stop living for ourselves | 2 Corinthians 5:15 — “…those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him…” |
| Lose the self-directed life to find His life | Matthew 16:25 — “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” |
The progression is practical:
Submit → Deny → Crucify → Put Off / Put On → Live for Him → Follow
We relinquish the self-directed life so we can discover and live the life God intended.
Be Led: Focus, Ask, Listen, Yield, Follow
Once we surrender our right to direct our own lives, an obvious question follows:
How does God direct us?
Jesus said:
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” — John 10:27
Following requires listening.
Being led by God is not passive. It requires intentional cooperation.
| Step | What It Means | Key Verse |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Turn our attention away from distractions and toward Jesus. | Hebrews 12:2 — “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” |
| Ask | Seek God’s wisdom rather than assuming we know what to do. | James 1:5 — “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God…” |
| Listen | Learn to recognize and receive His direction. | John 10:27 — “My sheep hear My voice…” |
| Yield | Surrender our preferred answer and allow God to direct us. | Proverbs 3:5–6 — “…lean not on your own understanding… And He shall direct your paths.” |
| Follow | Act upon what God reveals. | Luke 6:46 — “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” |
Focus → Ask → Listen → Yield → Follow
Listening without yielding leaves us unchanged.
Yielding without following produces no action.
Being led becomes visible when we actually follow.
Abide in God to Do More Than You Can Do Alone
There is another danger.
We can hear God’s direction, accept the assignment—and then immediately start trying to accomplish it through our own strength.
Jesus offers a radically different model:
“He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5
God does not simply give us an assignment and leave us to accomplish it alone.
We remain connected to Him. We receive His wisdom, strength, love, direction, and grace. Then we cooperate with what He is doing through us.
Paul described this beautifully:
“…I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” — 1 Corinthians 15:10
Notice that grace did not eliminate Paul’s effort.
Grace empowered it.
God can accomplish through a surrendered, listening, abiding believer far more than that person could accomplish independently.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…” — Ephesians 3:20
The Christian life is therefore not:
Hear the assignment → Try harder
It is:
Hear → Yield → Follow → Abide → Receive Grace → Cooperate → Bear Fruit
Common Barriers to Fulfilling God’s Plan
Knowing the process does not mean we will automatically follow it. At almost every stage, something can pull us back toward self-direction.
The following barriers can help identify where the flow is breaking down.
| Barrier | Truth to Correct | Key Verse |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Centered Motives | Live for Christ and His purposes, not yourself. | 2 Cor. 5:15 — “…should live no longer for themselves, but for Him…” |
| Unsubmitted Will | Surrender your agenda and submit to God. | James 4:7 — “Therefore submit to God…” |
| Fleshly Desires / Love of Comfort | Crucify desires for pleasure, ease, recognition, or control when they compete with God. | Gal. 5:24 — “…crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” |
| Relying on Our Own Understanding | Seek God’s direction instead of assuming what seems right is His way. | Prov. 3:5–6 — “…lean not on your own understanding…” |
| Not Asking or Listening | Regularly seek God’s wisdom and direction. | James 1:5 — “…let him ask of God…” |
| Distraction / Busyness | Turn your attention from competing priorities toward Jesus. | Heb. 12:2 — “looking unto Jesus…” |
| Lack of Trust | Follow God’s direction even when you cannot see the outcome. | 2 Cor. 5:7 — “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” |
| Fear of Man | Let God’s approval matter more than people’s opinions. | Prov. 29:25 — “The fear of man brings a snare…” |
| Failure to Act | Hearing God’s direction requires action. | James 1:22 — “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only…” |
| Operating in Our Own Strength | Abide in Christ and depend upon His grace. | John 15:5 — “…without Me you can do nothing.” |
We can miss God’s plan because we want the wrong thing, insist on our own way, fail to seek His direction, refuse to follow what we hear, or attempt to accomplish His work without His power.
Identifying the barrier allows us to bring it before God, repent where necessary, embrace the truth that corrects it, and move forward.
It is possible to be extremely busy and productive while moving in the wrong direction.
So don’t simply ask, “Am I accomplishing things?”
Ask: “Whose plan am I trying to fulfill?”
| Area | Fulfilling My Plan | Fulfilling God’s Plan | Truth — Key Verse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Pursue what I want from life. | Fulfill the works God prepared for me. | Eph. 2:10 — “…good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” |
| Motive | Seek what benefits, pleases, or elevates me. | Live to please God and advance His purposes. | 2 Cor. 5:15 — “…live no longer for themselves, but for Him…” |
| Agenda | Set my priorities and ask God to bless them. | Surrender my agenda and pursue God’s priorities. | James 4:7 — “Therefore submit to God…” |
| Understanding | Determine what seems right to me. | Seek God’s wisdom rather than relying on my understanding. | Prov. 3:5–6 — “…lean not on your own understanding…” |
| Direction | Follow desires, feelings, circumstances, and opportunities. | Ask, listen, and allow God to direct me. | Rom. 8:14 — “…led by the Spirit of God…” |
| Decisions | Choose what best accomplishes my objectives. | Yield my preference and choose what God directs. | John 10:27 — “My sheep hear My voice… and they follow Me.” |
| Comfort | Protect my comfort when the cost seems too high. | Accept sacrifice when God’s purpose requires it. | Luke 9:23 — “…deny himself, and take up his cross daily…” |
| Trust | Proceed when I understand and can manage the outcome. | Follow even when I cannot see the outcome. | 2 Cor. 5:7 — “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” |
| Power | Accomplish my goals through my abilities and resources. | Abide in Christ and accomplish His work through grace. | John 15:5 — “…without Me you can do nothing.” |
| Success | Did I accomplish what I wanted? | Did I faithfully accomplish what God wanted and bear Kingdom fruit? | John 15:8 — “…that you bear much fruit…” |
Don’t use this table to condemn yourself. Use it to expose where self may still be directing your life.
Where you recognize misalignment, bring it to God. Surrender it. Ask Him what He wants instead. Then listen and follow.
Declare Your Decision
Scripture tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21), and God tells us that His word accomplishes the purpose for which He sends it (Isaiah 55:11).
Speaking biblical truth aloud can help expose the difference between truths we intellectually recognize and truths we genuinely believe.
As you speak the following declaration, listen to what you hear yourself saying. Where your heart resists, where doubt arises, or where you realize your life does not agree with your words, don’t simply push past it. Ask God to reveal what needs to change and lead you into truth.
I Will Follow Jesus and Fulfill God’s Plan
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for creating me for Your purpose and preparing good works for me to walk in.
I submit myself fully to Jesus Christ as Lord.
I surrender my plans, my agenda, and my understanding to You.
I will deny myself, crucify the desires of my flesh, put off the old man, and put on Christ.
I will no longer live for myself, but for Jesus who died for me and rose again.
I will focus on You, ask for Your wisdom, listen for Your voice, yield to Your direction, and follow where You lead.
When Your way differs from mine, I will trust You.
When following costs me comfort, I will choose Your purpose over my desires.
When I cannot see the outcome, I will walk by faith.
I will abide in You and depend upon Your grace rather than my own strength.
Work in me and through me to accomplish more than I could ever accomplish alone.
I will follow Jesus, walk in the works You prepared for me, fulfill my part in Your plans, bear much fruit, and bring glory to Your name.
My life is Yours. Your will be done.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Speak these words until you understand what you are declaring and can speak them in faith. Where you cannot yet agree, don’t manufacture conviction. Ask God to reveal the truth, correct your understanding, and help you bring your life into agreement with Him.
Ask God: What Is My Part?
God’s plan is not merely a theological concept to understand. The practical question is:
What has God prepared for you to do today?
Set aside some quiet time. Focus on Jesus. Ask one question at a time. Listen. Write what comes to mind, and test what you receive against Scripture and the character of God.
Consider asking:
Lord, where am I pursuing my plans instead of Yours?
Lord, what part of my agenda do You want me to surrender?
Lord, what desire, fear, or belief is making it difficult for me to follow You?
Lord, what have You prepared for me to do in this season?
Lord, what are You asking me to do next?
Don’t begin by demanding the complete map.
Ask for the next faithful step.
Then follow.
God has plans and a purpose.
He has prepared good works for His children to walk in. But fulfilling those plans requires us to stop treating ourselves as the directors of our own lives.
Jesus showed us another way.
Humble yourself.
Submit to God.
Deny yourself.
Listen to the Father.
Yield your will.
Walk in faith.
Follow where He leads.
Abide in Him.
Receive His grace.
Bear much fruit.
Jesus said:
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” — John 10:27
You do not need to accomplish God’s plans alone.
In fact, you cannot.
But as you surrender your agenda, listen for His direction, follow Jesus, and abide in God, He can work in you and through you to accomplish far more than you could ever accomplish on your own.
Call to Action
Be Bold. Surrender your plan and ask God to show you His.
Then listen.
When He leads, trust Him enough to follow.
And at the end of your journey, may you be able to say as Jesus did:
“I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”— John 17:4
Lord, whose plan am I pursuing today—mine or Yours?
Lord, what is the next step You want me to take?