Seated with Him: Embracing God’s Divine Purpose for Your Life
- Article by Michael Sitko
In the quiet whispers of eternity, before the foundations of the world were laid, God penned a story for each one of His children. Tucked within the poetic verses of Psalm 139:16, we uncover a profound revelation: “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (ESV). This verse unveils a divine truth—before we took our first breath, before we were formed in our mother’s womb, God knew us intimately. He crafted a narrative for our lives, a story brimming with His dreams, desires, and purposes, hidden within our spirits, waiting to be discovered on a sacred journey with Him.
This divine narrative is not a vague hope or a distant aspiration; it is a covenantal promise, sealed by God’s lovingkindness. The psalmist David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, reveals that God’s plans for us are intentional, personal, and eternal. Every moment of our lives—our joys, trials, victories, and even our wanderings—was foreseen and inscribed in His book. This truth invites us to embark on a journey of discovery, to uncover the divine purpose God has woven into the fabric of our being.
The Heart of Delight: Psalm 37:4
David, in his prophetic insight, offers a key to unlocking this divine story in Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (ESV). The Hebrew word for “delight” in this verse, ‘anag, suggests making oneself soft and pliable, like clay in the hands of a potter. To delight in the Lord is to surrender to His molding, to allow Him to shape us into vessels that fulfill His purposes. This act of surrender is not passive; it is an active choice to align our hearts with His, trusting that as we yield, He will bring to fruition the very story He wrote for us before time began.
This promise is not about fleeting, self-centered desires but about the God-given desires embedded in our hearts—desires that align with His divine design. As we delight in Him, we allow the Holy Spirit to refine our longings, aligning them with the eternal purposes God has ordained. The fulfillment of these desires is not a reward for good behavior but the natural outcome of a life surrendered to His will. God, in His covenant love, is committed to seeing each of us walk in the fullness of His plan, as Jeremiah 29:11 affirms: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (ESV).
The Journey of Knowing Him: 2 Peter 1:3
The journey to fulfilling God’s divine purpose is one of intimacy with Him. In 2 Peter 1:3, we are assured that “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (ESV). This verse reveals a profound truth: everything we need to live out God’s story for our lives has already been provided through Jesus Christ. However, accessing this provision requires a deep, experiential knowledge of Him. The Greek word for “knowledge” here, epignosis, implies a personal, intimate understanding that grows through relationship and revelation.
As we seek to know God—His character, His ways, His heart—we position ourselves to step into the fullness of His purpose. This pursuit is not a checklist of religious duties but a vibrant, transformative relationship. Jesus Himself prayed in John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (ESV). Knowing God is the gateway to discovering the life He has written for us, a life that reflects His glory and fulfills the desires He has placed within us.
Ordered Steps: Psalm 37:23
Psalm 37:23 declares, “The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way” (ESV). The Hebrew word for “ordered,” kun, conveys the idea of God intimately and purposefully directing each step, positioning us precisely where He desires. This is not a rigid blueprint that strips us of freedom but a dynamic partnership where God guides us with love and precision. As we walk in righteousness—made possible through faith in Christ (Romans 3:22)—God orchestrates our paths to align with His divine narrative.
This truth offers profound assurance. No step is wasted, no moment is accidental. Even when our paths seem uncertain, God is faithfully guiding us toward the fulfillment of His purpose. Proverbs 16:9 echoes this: “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” (ESV). Our role is to trust, to remain pliable, and to walk in obedience, knowing that God is committed to leading us into His perfect will.
Seated with Him: 1 Corinthians 6:17
At the heart of this divine journey is the reality of being “seated with Him.” Ephesians 2:6 declares that God “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (ESV). This spiritual reality signifies our union with Christ, a truth beautifully captured in 1 Corinthians 6:17: “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” (ESV). To be seated with Christ is to be fully known, fully loved, and fully aligned with God’s purposes. It is a place of intimacy where we rest in His covenant commitment to fulfill His plans in our lives.
This union with Christ is the foundation of our peace. As we trust in His covenant love, we find rest, knowing that He is actively working to bring about His purposes. Philippians 1:6 assures us, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (ESV). Our trust in this promise anchors us, enabling us to navigate life’s uncertainties with confidence in God’s faithfulness.
Living Out the Divine Story
To live out God’s divine story requires a posture of surrender, trust, and pursuit. It begins with delighting in Him, allowing His Spirit to mold us into instruments of His purpose. It continues through a lifelong journey of knowing Him, growing in intimacy and understanding through His Word and Spirit. And it is sustained by trusting that He orders our steps, guiding us with precision toward the fulfillment of His plan.
As we embrace this journey, we discover that God’s story for us is not just about reaching a destination but about becoming who He created us to be. The desires of our heart, purified and aligned with His will, become the very pathways through which His glory is revealed. Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (ESV). Every moment, every season, every step is part of His divine tapestry, woven together to fulfill the story He wrote before we were formed.
A Call to Trust and Rest
To be seated with Him is to rest in the assurance of His covenant love. It is to trust that the One who wrote our story is faithful to complete it. As we walk with Him, delighting in His presence, seeking His face, and trusting His guidance, we step into the fullness of His divine purpose. This is the life God has called us to—a life of intimacy, purpose, and fulfillment, where the desires of our heart find their ultimate expression in His eternal plan.
Let us, therefore, commit to this sacred journey. Let us delight in the Lord, trust in His ordered steps, and rest in our union with Christ. For in Him, we are known, crafted, and destined to live out the beautiful story God wrote for us before the foundations of the world.