Sometimes, we can get stuck in the numbers (Really, what is age in God’s eyes and in his plans for us?) in response to worldly standards and expectations vs. God’s.  And then sometimes, we can get caught in the web of other believers’ expectations which may or may not be in line with what God wants for us (this can be even trickier and harder to tell the difference).

With the recent onslaught of books designed to steer you toward discovering your purpose and your destiny (both inside and outside of the Christian publishing industry), I think a lot of us can quickly become concerned if our lives aren’t all clearly mapped out for us after filling out a short questionnaire or completing a multi-week, self-discovery program.

These resources are practical, helpful aids, but I think there is a tendency for readers (myself included) to look at them as THE definitive source for how our lives should look.  "If I read this book, then I'll instantly know what I'm supposed to do with my life!"  Oh, if it were only that easy. 

Discovering God's plans for our lives is an ongoing process.  So I suggest first consulting with the No. 1 best-selling, Christian living guidebook of all time:  the Bible.  In His Word, God tells us that he has specifically chosen us (1 Peter 2:9), and has called us to a different way of living (Colossians 3:12-14).  We are given the broad brush strokes as to how we should interact with our fellow man and our Maker (Matthew 22:37-39).  But when it comes to the finer lines, there can be a bit of fuzziness.  God doesn’t fully map out our destinies in the pages of his Word.  No, he leaves in the mystery, so that we will trust him and in his understanding for our lives.

Granted, sometimes—even though we are each unique and fearfully and wonderfully made—our lives might look similar to those of others.  We may go to college, choose a major that seems right, start our careers, lead Bible studies, search for mates or become homeowners … just like other people in our demographic.

So that is what can feel normal or right to us.  It’s what we can see.  It’s what we know.  And it’s what is happening in others’ lives.

But what happens when our lives don’t mirror our friends’?  What happens when God doesn’t give us (in our opinions) a neat and tidy life plan, and we stand out like odd balls?  What happens when he calls us to a different destiny that we don’t understand?  (Isaiah 55:8-9).