How do you know God's will for your life?

[rose_red]

I have no idea how to figure this out. I try to be open to God’s will. I’m 20 and need to get my life together. Aren’t people supposed to know what they want to do with their lives by that age? At least have an idea? I see other people my age, and they are light years ahead of me. They are independent, working, in college, have relationships, etc. I feel so small and infantile next to them.

Is a person supposed to wait for God to put opportunities in front of them, wait for God to point the way? Because in my life, that hasn’t happened. I’ve been thinking, wondering, praying, but I still don’t know what God wants me to do. I want to throw myself only into what He wants me to do, I know that’s the only way to be happy in life. I try to avoid the “let Your will be done (only if it happens to be my will as well)” attitude. But God either hasn’t told me what I am to do for Him, or I haven’t got the message. (I suspect it is the latter).

I’m not looking for a sign or anything. But I want to be certain, because everything I’ve ever done seems to have been an exercise in futility. I fear though, that the certainty is never really there. God takes people in all kinds of directions. “If you want God to laugh, tell Him your plans.”

Do I take my interests and try to make a living off of them? I don’t plan on going to college, I hate the idea of going to college. I have no talents that I know of. The idea of becoming a nun doesn’t attract me.

I like music, most people I admire are musicians, maybe I should learn an instrument and join a band or something… but it’s thoughts like that that drive me crazy. Maybe it’s a stupid idea, or silly, or unrealistic. I’ve had many dreams and aspirations growing up, but now I see how dumb most of them were. How do I know when I find the right thing to do?

My parents are no help, they are unsupportive of anything that doesn’t fit in with their plan or image of me. I have no friends. Everything is an uphill battle for me. But if I knew it was God’s will, maybe I would have the strength to fight the battle.

Please help. I’m sorry this post was so long, but I am desperate for my meaningless life to change and go in the right direction, to live my vocation. The nothingness and emptiness is getting to me.

Please tell me how you found God’s will for your life.

 

[survive]

Don’t worry about it. We all find our purpose at different times. Just do good things, follow your conscience, try to meet your responsibilities and study good examples, and you’ll find what God wants you to do.

 

[Liberanosamalo]

You have no friends?

Take care of that first.

You’d be amazed how things happen when you start connecting with other people. You find out much more about yourself from being around other people than you may realize.

And friends have a good way of making comments that often is helpful. Comments like “Don’t quit your day job” when you’re singing that make you realize being in a band is not your destiny.

Seriously…

Start with the talents God gave you, the things you enjoy doing and are good at. That’s as good a starting point as any to figure out what you were created to do.

And make friends.

Now.

 

[Serap]

sounds like you’re experiencing life’s baby blues You have a whole life ahead of you honey!!!

When I was 20, I had no idea what I was going to do with myself. I entered university at 22 b/c I hated being an office clerk.

At the age of 20, I would focus on a career of some kind and let the rest fall into place. What are you interests? What kinds of jobs do you see yourself doing? Do you want to go back to school? Do you want to enter the workforce now? Given a recession coming, perhaps school would be a better choice?

As for having no friends…perhaps you are just picky? Perhaps you are an introvert? There’s nothing wrong with having no friends and you can always make some friends in a social club of some kind.

Don’t be so hard on yourself! You’re on the right track by thinking about your life. Keep praying and God will show you His way for you. Perhaps God has told you his will and you have been resisting it? Keep praying and all will fall into place!

 

[Trishie]

God’s will is that you love Him and love others as you wish to be loved.
You don’t have to wait for a sign. The gifts and interests you have are an inbuilt guide to a fulfulling and productive future. The future unfolds…

Parents sometime do have a strong image of what their children are supposed to do and to be. But they’re not always right! It often doesn’t work out, as children unfold as they will.

I could never have imagined my sons’ paths as they are, but say I’d tried to force my youngest son to go to university…he wouldn’t have found himself to be an amazing craftsman. I never imagined my middle son would bring tears to my eyes each time he plays classical guitar and classical piano or that he’d be an executive in charge of a multi-state educational institution. I’d not have imagined that my eldest son would have successfully raised two children alone, and built up his electronic call-out business to the point that he’s able to cover the mortgage, the bills, send his daughter to university to do an ecological science degree, after also spending thousands on fixing her teeth in her beautiful face…

Love, trust yourself…it’s hard for parents to grow into the directions in our lives…I shed tears and ached and worried over lots of things…but I’m so proud and grateful that my ‘boys’ are as they are. They are above all…and this is what I’m most thankful for, that they are kind, loving men.

God will back you up on your choices, but He didn’t give you talents and desires and free will and a good brain for you not to use them. A person can paralyse themselves by waiting and anxiety.

Live, flourish, always in accordance to the commandments of love, of God, and others…as ourselves. There are three commandments there. The implicit one is to properly love yourself, Trish

 

[sanctamaria17]

Hon, I hear you! I’m almost twenty myself and I have no idea what I’m doing with the rest of my life!

I am in school and this past semester, I’ve actually made a lot of successes and decisions. But, those only came with a lot of prayer, hard work, determination, counseling, the support of friends and family, and a belief in God’s goodness and myself.

First, friends are good. “It’s not good for man to be alone.” Go out and make some friends. You need community, a good group of people to hang out with, to be honest with, to guide you, and to help you.

Second, I recommend counseling. I had such a hard time last year with coming to terms with emotions, figuring out my life, etc, that one of my good friends nearly pushed me into a counseling office. It helped so much.

Third, develop your faith life. Pray, go to Mass often, go to Adoration/Confession, get involved in service, and see if there’s a young Catholic community nearby and a good priest. They actually could help with the first two things I mentioned.

Fourth, stop trying to make it go so fast! Once the first three start happening, it all falls into place. And remember, it’s His timing, not ours. He loves you and wants you to follow His way for His way is the only way to make us happy.

Prayers!!

 

[chewchoo]

trishie said God’s will best already, but to put in my two cents, i have discovered that doing God’s will and your “purpose” in life are sort of two different things. you do need to apply God’s will to your purpose tho. what you choose to do with your life should be morally acceptable and all that, but God will use you to his purpose where ever you find yourself in life.

follow Jesus, do whatever he tells you. that is God’s will. whether you’re a doctor, a plumber, an opera singer, a parent, etc, follow Jesus.

 

[BamaRider]

Aren’t people supposed to know what they want to do with their lives by that age?

No. Some do, some don’t. When I was 20 I was single, seeing 2-3 ladies on the sly, and no idea what I wanted as a career.

Within 18 months, I met my present wife, got married, and sorted out my career all before I turned 22. My life as I knew it changed when I entered that relationship. It was God’s plan for me.

Is a person supposed to wait for God to put opportunities in front of them, wait for God to point the way?

I think what you do is live your life as best you can. You follow His Commandments, and Church laws, and what happens happens. It also means being proactive, if you’re looking for a partner you avail yourself to other single folks. You have a social life, you go places, work, do things, and when you meet someone that intrests you, but he hasn’t called, just drop a hint to a friend, “you know I’d kinda like so and so to call me,” the word will get back to him and next thing ya phone is ringing. God presents the doors, but you gotta step through them

But I want to be certain, because everything I’ve ever done seems to have been an exercise in futility.

Shoot Rose, I don’t think you’re ever 100% certain about anything in *this *life. If you ask the folks here if they were 100%, fully certain, proof positive they were doing the right thing on their wedding day, you’d be surprised at what you get. I mean we are mostly sure we’re marrying the right person, but 110%? What we are sure of is working as hard as we can to make it work, and that gets ya to finish line.

Do I take my interests and try to make a living off of them?

Yes. It is one of the quickest ways to self fullfillment. Find a job that you would do for free. I loved the fire service, I couldn’t believe they paid me to do it. I mean I got to go big fires in million dollar fire trucks lights and siren blaring, rescue people, car wrecks, and all kinds of other stuff. I hung out with my friends, we trained and worked together, a paycheck was just a excuse to give my wife so I could go on shift. Find whatever it is you are passionate about and see how to make money at it.

For some it is home and kids. Nothing wrong with that.

I like music, most people I admire are musicians, maybe I should learn an instrument and join a band or something… but it’s thoughts like that that drive me crazy. Maybe it’s a stupid idea, or silly, or unrealistic. I’ve had many dreams and aspirations growing up, but now I see how dumb most of them were. How do I know when I find the right thing to do?

You know it becasue it makes you happy. If you like music perhaps you’d like to be musical director in a parish? Play in your band on Friday and Saturday night, other nights you’re at the church practicing. Seek out the people that are doing just that, see what it is you have to do, to make that happen.

My parents are no help, they are unsupportive of anything that doesn’t fit in with their plan or image of me. I have no friends. Everything is an uphill battle for me. But if I knew it was God’s will, maybe I would have the strength to fight the battle.

Please help. I’m sorry this post was so long, but I am desperate for my meaningless life to change and go in the right direction, to live my vocation. The nothingness and emptiness is getting to me.

Please tell me how you found God’s will for your life.

Most of this is in your head. You acquire friends by being somebody people want to be around, and you do that by being optimistic, hopeful, sweet, kind, and funny. You get up each day and persue your dreams, whatever they maybe. You stay close to your Faith, and trust Him, and let the chips fall where they may.

Whatever your parents think of you doesn’t matter. Their image has nothing to do with reality sweetie. You control your image, not them.

Your life is NOT meaningless, it has a purpose, all because not found it yet is notreason to go in the tank. Sometimes it takes a while. I found mine pretty early in my life, perhaps some here can speak of finding later. I’m in a different life chapter right now, and in some ways kind of looking at what I want to do next since I retired a few years ago. It could be He as a plan for me to do something else work wise, I dunno, if so it hasn’t been revealed yet, in the meantime I’m gonna continue to enjoy my family, home, and my leisure time, all the while keeping my eyes open the doors that appear to me.

Please tell me how you found God’s will for your life.

I found mine by recognizing what I was good at, and what I liked doing. I liked athlectics, I like being a part of something, it made feel good to help people, and I asked msyelf what occupation puts a value on such things? From there I had a short list. For some of us, you get in a job and you realize this is NOT what ya want to do, and you go from there. You see what it is about that job you dislike, and seek jobs or vocations that excempt those things. Don’t like shift work? Stay away from places that utilize them. Don’t like long hours or weekends? Stay away from them. Places you can move up quick? Seek them out. And the list goes on, but you get the idea.

Its a New Year Rose. You can do with it what you please. But if I was YOU, I’d start by making the most of it.

 

[rose_red]

I’m so grateful for everyone’s thoughtful replies, they were really helpful and they have made me a lot less anxious. I’ll try to take all the good advise.