Letting God Write Your Life's Story

 

Summary

In our journey with Christ, we are often tempted to take center stage in our own lives, to be the architects of our destiny, and to meticulously craft our to-do lists with the hope that God will simply bless our endeavors. However, the essence of true discipleship is not about us being the stars of our own story, but rather allowing God to be the star. It is about surrendering our plans and allowing God to inscribe His divine narrative upon the pages of our lives.

We must recognize that our attempts to prioritize God are often misguided. We try to put God at the top of our list, but God's desire is simpler and yet more profound – He wants to be the list itself. Our lists, our plans, and our priorities pale in comparison to the glorious future God has in store for us. When we let God take the lead, we find that His plans are not only different but exceedingly better than ours.

The children of Israel, after being freed from Egyptian bondage, lamented their past comforts despite the chains that came with them. They failed to trust in God's provision for their future. Similarly, we often cling to the familiar, to the past, even when it hinders us from embracing the freedom and the future God offers. Trusting in God can be daunting because it leads us into the unknown, but it is in this very act of trust that we find true liberation.

We must also resist the temptation to settle for the status quo. The church must not become complacent, content with where we are, lest we miss out on the deeper and farther reaches God wants to take us. We are called to press into God more than ever, to seek His plans which are for our good and not for disaster, to give us a future and a hope.

In this light, I have given you a piece of homework – a blank piece of paper titled "God's Plan for Your Life," with a space for your signature. This is not a trivial exercise, but a profound commitment. By signing this paper, you are declaring your willingness to let God write His plan for your life. It is a declaration of trust, a surrender of control, and an adventure into the fullness of what God has for you.

Lastly, we must be mindful of the barriers that prevent God from moving freely in our lives – our past, our present, and our pride. We must learn to step aside and let God be God, to move out of His way and allow Him to work His will in and through us.

Key Takeaways:

- God is the author of our lives, and when we allow Him to take precedence, our role becomes that of faithful followers rather than leaders. This requires a humble acceptance that our plans are secondary to His divine purpose. [01:04:25]

- Trusting in God's plan involves letting go of our past and the comfort it may provide. True freedom in Christ means embracing the future He has for us, even when it leads us away from the familiar. [55:27]

- Complacency within the church hinders spiritual growth and the pursuit of God's greater vision. We must actively seek God's direction and be prepared to move beyond our comfort zones to experience the fullness of His plans. [44:27]

- Signing a blank commitment to God's plan is a powerful act of faith. It signifies a readiness to follow wherever He leads, trusting that His ways are higher than ours and that His plans are for our ultimate good. [01:09:12]

- Our pride can often be a stumbling block in our spiritual journey. Recognizing and surrendering our pride allows God to work through us, leading to victories and breakthroughs that we could not achieve on our own. [01:01:17]

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
2. Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
3. Exodus 16:3 - The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jeremiah 29:11 reveal about God's intentions for our lives?
2. How does Isaiah 55:8-9 challenge our understanding of God's plans compared to our own?
3. In Exodus 16:3, what were the Israelites longing for, and why was this problematic? [53:10]
4. According to the sermon, what are some barriers that prevent God from moving freely in our lives? [49:17]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How can the promise in Jeremiah 29:11 provide comfort when we face uncertainty about our future? [38:27]
2. What does it mean to let God be the author of our lives, and how does this contrast with our natural desire to control our destiny? [01:04:25]
3. Why is it important to move out of God's way and let Him take control, as mentioned in the sermon? [49:17]
4. How does the story of the Israelites in Exodus 16:3 illustrate the danger of longing for the past instead of trusting in God's provision for the future? [55:27]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you tried to control your own destiny. How did it turn out, and what could you have done differently to let God take the lead? [01:04:25]
2. The sermon mentioned the importance of not becoming complacent in our spiritual journey. What steps can you take this week to actively seek God's direction and move beyond your comfort zone? [44:27]
3. Consider the blank piece of paper titled "God's Plan for Your Life" that the pastor mentioned. Are you ready to sign it? Why or why not? What might be holding you back? [01:09:12]
4. Identify a specific area of your life where your pride might be hindering God's work. How can you surrender this pride and allow God to lead you to victory? [01:01:17]
5. Think about a past comfort that you might be clinging to. How can you let go of this comfort to embrace the future God has for you? [55:27]
6. How can you practically trust God with your future this week, especially in areas where you feel uncertain or afraid? [38:27]
7. The pastor emphasized the importance of letting God write His plan for our lives. What is one specific action you can take this week to surrender your plans and follow God's lead? [01:04:25]

Devotional

Day 1: Surrendering to Divine Authorship
In the walk of faith, it is easy to assume the role of the lead character in the story of life, meticulously planning each step with the expectation that God will endorse these plans. Yet, the call to discipleship invites believers to a radical shift in perspective, where God is not just a character but the author of the narrative. This surrender requires setting aside personal agendas and ambitions to embrace the story God is writing. It is a story that often unfolds in unexpected ways, revealing a plot that is richer and more intricate than anything one could devise. This act of surrender is not passive; it is an active and ongoing choice to trust in the wisdom and sovereignty of God, believing that His plans are crafted in perfect love and knowledge of the future.

[01:04:25]

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand."

Reflection: What personal ambitions or plans might you need to release in order to fully embrace the story God is writing in your life?

Day 2: Embracing God's Liberating Future
The comfort of the known often holds a seductive appeal, even when it is accompanied by the weight of chains. Like the Israelites who yearned for the familiarity of Egypt over the uncertainty of the wilderness, there is a tendency to cling to the past. However, true freedom is found in the willingness to step into the future that God has prepared. This future is not always visible on the horizon, and the path may be uncharted, but it is in this very act of trust that liberation is found. Trusting in God's plan means believing that He is leading to a place of promise and that the journey, though daunting, is one towards a hope-filled destiny.

[55:27]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV)
"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: Can you identify an area of your past that you are holding onto, which might be preventing you from stepping into the future God has for you?

Day 3: Overcoming Spiritual Complacency
Complacency is a subtle foe that can lull the church into a state of spiritual stagnation. The call to follow Christ is a call to continuous growth and pursuit of God's greater vision. It is a journey that requires stepping out of comfort zones and embracing the fullness of God's plans. These plans are not to harm but to prosper, to provide hope and a future. To experience this, one must actively seek God's direction and be willing to be led into deeper and farther reaches of faith and service. This pursuit is not for the faint of heart; it demands courage, commitment, and a willingness to be transformed.

[44:27]

Hebrews 6:11-12 (ESV)
"And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

Reflection: What does 'pressing into God' look like in your daily life, and how can you combat complacency to actively pursue His plans for you?

Day 4: Committing to God's Plan with Faith
Signing a blank piece of paper as a commitment to God's plan is a profound act of faith. It is a symbolic gesture that signifies a readiness to follow God's lead, wherever it may go. This commitment is not about relinquishing dreams but about trusting that God's dreams for us are far greater. It is an acknowledgment that His wisdom surpasses our understanding and that His path, though it may wind through valleys and over peaks, leads to the best destination. By making this commitment, believers declare their trust in God's goodness and their openness to the adventure He has in store.

[01:09:12]

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV)
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."

Reflection: Are you willing to make a blank commitment to God's plan today, and what fears or hesitations do you need to surrender to Him?

Day 5: Letting Go of Pride to Let God Move
Pride can be a significant barrier to spiritual growth, often leading to a desire to control and a reluctance to depend on God. Recognizing and surrendering pride is essential for allowing God to move freely in one's life. It is in the moments of humility that God can work His will most powerfully, leading to victories and breakthroughs that would be impossible through human effort alone. Letting go of pride means acknowledging that God's ways are higher and that His power is made perfect in weakness. It is a call to step aside and let God be God, trusting that He knows best and will lead to a life of purpose and impact.

[01:01:17]

James 4:10 (ESV)
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

Reflection: In what ways has pride influenced your decisions, and how can you practice humility to allow God to work more freely in your life?

Quotes

- "Sometimes we don't we see this and we go oh somebody asked me in the early service they said pastor who you cheering for in the game today it's a game what game I'm watching A Puppy Bowl." [48:31](Download | Download)

- "Friends if you and I want to see a genuine move of God in our lives we have to move out of God's way and we need to allow we need to relinquish control and let God do what God does." [49:17](Download | Download)

- "Sometimes friends I think God wants us to not be the stars of Our Own Story we just need to let God be the star of our story." [01:04:25](Download | Download)

- "The children of Israel were trying so hard to put God at the top in reality God just wanted to make the list." [01:05:08](Download | Download)

- "Why is the church struggling at times because we've got a to-do list and we say come on Jesus jump on board and Jesus is saying I got a priority list just let me write it." [01:05:46](Download | Download)

- "Trusting in God can be a scary thing because we don't know what it's going to hold. I believe also that there are many unknown things which is why we're tempted to move back to where we were comfortable." [55:27](Download | Download)

- "We need to press into God more today than we ever have in the rest of our lives." [44:27](Download | Download)

- "I want you in the next day or two to pull this paper out and if you're willing I'm going to ask you to prayerfully sign this blank piece of paper." [01:09:12](Download | Download)

- "Imagine getting up every day and saying Jesus just lead me and then we just kind of hide back under the blankets until it's time to go to sleep." [01:11:57](Download | Download)

- "I'd rather you not sign the paper and not lie to God then sign the paper and think oh man I don't want to get in trouble because I didn't get my homework done." [01:10:33](Download | Download)

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?