January 9: Living with Purpose

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Living with Purpose

Author: Mickela Davy


“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.”  Jeremiah 29:11

Have you ever watched a potter at work? With a lump of clay in hand, the potter molds and shapes it with purpose. The clay doesn’t know the final design, but the potter sees the masterpiece in his mind and carefully works it into being.

This is how God works in our lives. He is the potter, and we are the clay (Isaiah 64:8). Even when our plans don’t go as we expect, God is shaping us for His purpose. Sometimes, the disappointments and detours are His way of leading us exactly where He wants us to be.

When I planned to attend university, I had my heart set on Union Adventist University (UAU). I was also accepted to Northern Caribbean University (NCU) and Oakwood University, but UAU seemed perfect for me. I had every detail of my future planned. I even went to the embassy for a visa, confident that this was the path God wanted me to take. But I didn’t get through.

I was crushed and filled with doubt. Why would God allow this to happen when I had prayed for His direction? But as I reflected, I realized I had asked Him to lead me, and this was His answer. Though the devil tried to plant seeds of doubt, God’s purpose prevailed. Instead of heading to UAU, God directed me to NCU, where I will begin in January 2025. Even though I can’t fully see it, I know God is positioning me exactly where He wanted me to be and to transform my life.  

Proverbs 19:21 reminds us: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

God’s purpose for our lives is more significant than anything we can imagine. Sometimes, we cling tightly to our plans, but God lovingly redirects us because He sees the bigger picture. Like the clay in the potter’s hands, we must trust His shaping process, even when it feels uncomfortable or confusing.

Are you wrestling with doubts about where your life is headed? Perhaps your plans have fallen apart, or a door you desperately wanted to walk through has closed. Trust that God is still working. He has a calling and purpose for your life, and He will direct your steps if you allow Him.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for being the Potter in our lives. Help us to trust You when our plans don’t work out the way we expect. Give us the faith to know that Your purpose is greater than our own. Shape us according to Your will and guide us to walk in the path You have prepared for us. Keep us close to You, Lord, and remind us that Your plans for us are always good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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