Who, What & When

Today’s topic is all about something we all wonder about: Who is for you? What is for you? And when is it for you?

Sometimes it feels like life is a puzzle, and we’re missing the corner pieces. But here’s the encouragement from Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

God already knows the who, what, and when that’s meant for you. Even if it doesn’t look clear right now, He’s orchestrating everything in perfect timing. So, let’s talk about trusting God with what’s meant specifically for you.

God isn’t thrown off by our questions—He already knows the plans He has for us. And they’re good ones. But we can get tangled up in the “who” should be in our lives, the “what ifs,” and the “when's.”

We are lucky to have a Father who knows all the answers. He knows who is best for us and who will push us, love us, and encourage us. He knows what we go through and what we need to do. He also knows when everything should happen because His timing is perfect.

So, as you wander along this life, know that you can comfortably and confidently ask God all the questions, and He will give you the answers.

Who, what, when, where, and how are all questions we have been taught to ask since grade school, and we still use those in our everyday life because we like to know all the information.

It can be hard to go about life sometimes without some kind of plan or knowledge, and that is just fine—as long as we are not using those words to control every situation and not letting God do the leading.

We were and have been told that there are no stupid questions because we have been encouraged to get all the information needed to make good choices.

Ask God the questions. Make sure you are following His will for your life and that you know without a doubt that He is the one leading the way.

Know the information, but don’t get so caught up in it that you are not able to adjust to God’s will and plan.

As we grow, we are often seeking answers of who we are, what is good for us, and when we should do something.

There are certainly different stages in life where these moments are more prevalent, but they are things that we are always seeking as we learn and grow.

In our teenage and young adult years, we are trying to figure out who we are and what we should do because we have to have some idea. The best way to move forward is with the Lord. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and He also has a path for us. So, when we are seeking, be sure that God is the one answering all those questions you have.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) — “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Let’s focus on the who is for you.

The people we walk alongside—friends, family, coworkers—God knows who’s meant to be in our lives. Sometimes we meet the right people in the wrong season, or the wrong people in the right season. Either way, His plan is always perfect. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that He is working everything for good, even when we can’t see the full picture.

Knowing who is for us takes some trial and error until we know better how to read people, what our boundaries are, and who we want to surround ourselves with. Not everyone is for us, nor should they be.

In my life, I’ve never been one to seek people out, but to watch and learn someone and then decide if they are someone who I think I could be friends with or if they should just stay an acquaintance. I then pray and talk with God about it because He knows who I need in my life and if it of God then it will all work out.

Those who have come into my life are because of God, and so me seeking Him in those relationships will never change.

Seek God in all things.

Knowing who should be in our lives takes discernment because we may be friends with someone right now who may no longer be someone who should be.

This is hard because we may love this person, have history with this person, but God may be leading you to step away from the relationship.

This has happened to me a few times, and neither time ended great for me. It was more of God stripping that person away than a conversation happening. But I think that is because God knew where I was at that time in my life.

When we let God be the head of our lives, He will make sure that those who are in our lives are the ones who need to be—even if just for a season.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) — “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Let’s talk about the what is for you and when it’s for you.

Opportunities, doors, gifts, even timing—God knows what is truly yours and when it will happen. We might rush, stress, or try to force things, but His timing is perfect. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us His plans are meant to give us hope and a future, so we can relax and trust that the right things are coming at the right time.

Knowing what is for you and when to move forward can be hard.

I think of many stories in the Bible when God promised something, but there was a waiting season—David was called and anointed to be king as a boy, and it didn’t happen for years. Then there is Abram and Sarai—they weren’t able to have a child, then God said they would, and they waited decades for that promise to come to fruition.

If God has given you a calling, a plan, a mission, whatever… know that His timing is perfect, and seek Him to know when you are to take the next step into it.

Let Him open the doors for you before you try to barge through yourself. His timing in the what and when is perfect.

Knowing what is for you and when it is for you takes time.

I never really had a plan or heard from God for a particular path I should go, but as I now look back on my life, I see where God always had His hand and was making moves.

So, if you just don’t know, don’t worry, but be open and willing. That’s what I did. I was and am always willing and ready for what God has next for me. I am always in the mindset that when it’s time to move on from what God has for me, then it’s time.

When our hearts and minds are on God and we know that what He has for us is good, then we are more willing when it comes to change.

Sure, it will be difficult, but because of our faith in God, it is always doable.

God knows the who, what, and when of our lives, and we can rest assured that it is all good.

Let’s remember: Who is for you, what is for you, and when it’s for you is already known by God.

Jeremiah 29:11 says His plans are for good and full of hope.

So if you’re feeling impatient, uncertain, or even a little anxious about life, take heart. God is orchestrating every piece, and when you trust Him, the who, what, and when will all fall perfectly into place.