Life Advice Part 3: Let God’s Will Come to You

Tim Ainley, CEO of Forward Edge, recently shared an inspiring message at a graduation commencement ceremony that is a timely and impactful message for us all. But, especially for recent graduates, young adults, and teens, these words could be the guiding principles you need as you step into a world with a million different possibilities:

Read Part 2: You Were Made to Serve

Ok, here’s the third thing I wish I had learned at your age: 

Let God’s will come to you 

You know, at graduations, you’ll often hear things like this: Dream big, you’re going to change the world, leave your mark, you can do anything, etc. etc. But those are all hard for me…talk about pressure and setting yourself up for disappointment. They’re not very realistic. 

And the “Christian” version of these messages is often veiled behind the theme of pursuing God’s will for your life, as if He had His plan for you coded in a puzzle or riddle that you have to decipher or solve.  

Or like God’s playing ‘hide and seek’ with His will for your life and you have to go out there and try to find it. I’m here to say don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself. 

Just be faithful with what you know and let God’s will come to you. 

I believe discovering God’s will for your life is less about how much you flawlessly plan and execute, and more about how faithful you are in your response to the things you didn’t go looking for or plan. 

When we look at all our Biblical heroes – people who have epic stories of how God used them…Abraham, King David, Queen Esther, Joseph, Daniel, the Apostles – what made their stories so great was not the strategic plans they made, but rather their faithful obedience to God amidst life’s surprises. 

Let me remind you what Proverbs 16:9 says: In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps. 

By all means, if you have ideas, plans, or dreams, pursue them! God very well may have given them to you. But hold on to them loosely and pay closer attention to what God is doing than the plans you want to accomplish. 

I love my eight-year-old son, Gideon. And let me tell you, he’s got a lot of energy. Often times, if we’re on a walk in our neighborhood, he’ll run on ahead of me to wherever it is we’re going. And then I get bummed because I don’t get to walk with him and hold his hand anymore. 

I wonder if, maybe, sometimes God won’t tell you too much of where you’re going because if He did, you’d run on ahead, and He wants you to stay close holding His hand. 

If you spend too much of your time looking towards tomorrow, you’ll miss out on today. God has good works for you to do today. Right now. Not just someday later once you have your degree, your career, or your house, spouse and kids, or whatever it is you dream of having someday.  

You can make a difference right where you’re standing.  

Let me give you an example. My son Gideon, who I just mentioned, he’s in a group called Trail Life – like a faith-based boy scouts. A few months ago, a graduating senior volunteered a couple of hours to come and teach our troop of boys the fundamentals of basketball.  

It was a simple act of service for this young man, and it really meant a lot to those boys. 

And here’s another example. My wife and I had a surprise 4th child last October, and if you’re familiar with infants, you don’t really want to mess with their sleep schedule. Well, our baby Boaz takes a much-needed nap at 3 pm every day, right when school gets out. It was a real challenge for my wife Ashley, that is until another one of the graduating seniors volunteered to bring Gideon home from school. That may have seemed like a simple thing to do, but it was a HUGE blessing to my wife.  

Don’t miss the opportunities in front of you right now, today, to serve. 

St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, was famous for his pursuit of what he called “the state of indifference.” He didn’t mean pursuing apathy or disinterest but pursuing an indifference to anything but the will of God. Ignatius taught that the degree to which we are open to any outcome or answer from God is the degree to which we are truly ready to hear what God has to say. 

So, I encourage you, graduates, make your plans…surrender them…don’t put too much pressure on yourself…and let God’s will come to you. 

Read Part 4: Live to Be Forgotten

gospel

Living on Purpose

by Joseph Anfuso A well-known 19th-century philosopher once said: “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” So, what does that mean? It means that someone who’s found a purpose in life—a “why” to live for—can overcome any obstacle in his or her path. It means

Go to Blog »
child sponsorship

Am I Making a Difference?

Ever wonder if you’re really making an impact in the life of the child you sponsor? The very fact that your child knows you chose them shows them they are special and that they matter. They know they’re important to you and also to God, you may even be an

Go to Blog »
fundraising letter

Fundraising Support Letter

Letters are vital to raising support for your mission trip. If you have to choose between letters and events, choose letters. Here’s why: They work. People love to see others serve, and they will respond. Even if they might not go themselves, they can be a part of your experience.

Go to Blog »
child sponsorship

How to Write a Letter to Your Sponsored Child

One of the greatest joys a child receives is a letter from his or her sponsor. Sponsored children usually save all of the letters they receive and read them over and over again, they are such a source of encouragement and love for them. Writing to your sponsored child is

Go to Blog »
Transform a Child's Life Through Sponsorship

Hola (hello), my name is Jade Zulem

  • location

    Mexico

  • 9 yrs. old

    01-24-2016

Entered the Program: February 2025Jade lives with her parents, brother, Caleb and adopted older brother, Jonathan (both also in the program) in a one-room adobe house with a tin roof, and concrete and dirt floors. The family shares a bedroom, except for Jonathan, who has his own, separate f... (Read More)rom the house. They cook with wood and get water from a hose on their property. The bathroom facilities are outdoors.Jade’s parents met in Oaxaca City when they both worked there. After a year, they got married and eventually went to the village where her father was born. Jade’s parents intended to be in the village temporarily but the family required help tending their crops, so they decided to stay. They also adopted Jade’s cousin, Jonathan, as their own child because there was a need. (Less)
Sponsorship Level What's this?

Three $38 sponsorships are needed to cover the complete holistic care of one child. Cover one, two, or three sponsorships.