The Place that God Wants You to Be

“So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.” (1 Corinthians 7:24)

Many Christians spend an inordinate amount of time wondering what God wants them to be doing. “Am I where I should be?” “Am I doing what I ought to do?” “Should I be doing something more – or different?” These questions can consume an immense amount of time and brain-power, and they often don’t result in clear answers.

Paul’s simple answer to the question is that God has you where he wants you. There are unique situations where you should be a different situation. But overall, this is the rule to follow. Why? Because it is a practical recognition of the sovereignty of God.

It is one thing to say that God is sovereign and that He is in control in a broad, overarching sense. But what about the particularities of your life? Can you actually trust God and accept that He is sovereign over your circumstances? Do you believe that He gave you the family that he gave you, directed you into the city that you are living in, even exercises sovereignty over the mistakes and mess-ups that have put you in the situation that you are in? Even if your life is not in alignment with God’s revealed will, it is certainly in alignment with God’s sovereign will. And if this is so, then you are in the situation that God wants you to be in at present.

There are, of course, some exceptions. If someone’s condition necessitates sin, it is never right to remain in that situation. So, if you are single – God is calling you today to singleness; if you are married – God is calling you today to married life; but if you are living with your boyfriend or girlfriend – well, of course, God is calling you today to change your situation and to get out of that sinful relationship.

If God gives you an opportunity to have more freedom to serve him – then you should consider that to be a unique opportunity from God. “Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)” (1 Corinthians 7:21).

If you are living in unrepentant sin, however, you won’t have much clarity about what God is currently calling you to do. “In all your ways acknowledge him,” says Proverbs, “and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:6). This implies that if you are not acknowledging him in all your ways, then you can’t claim the promise of straight paths. To have God make your paths straight means that he is directing and leading you, placing you where he wants you to be. But when Christians give in to patterns of sin, their wisdom is clouded and they lose divine clarity. This doesn’t mean that you must be perfect; but it does mean that if there is an aspect of your life that isn’t demonstrating submission to God (unrepentant sin, ‘putting up’ with sin, obstinacy to obey, etc.), you can’t trust that God is making your paths straight. He might be setting you up for some severe discipline!

When God is ready to move you along, he has plenty of means at his disposal to do so. It won’t be confusing when he wants you to transition to the next ‘thing’ in life. Note that there is also a difference between discontentedly seeking the next thing, and contentedly pursuing the present (including options for the future). Sending out resumes to another company because you have a desire to be at another place may be God’s directing agency (and if he wants you at another job, he will make that clear by providing a job offer!).

But in short, don’t spend too much time wondering about where you are. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

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