There have been many times in my life that I was facing a major decision and simply did not know what to do. Frustration would well up in me as the deadline approached. I would think, or even yell out loud, “God, why will you not just tell me what You want me to do!”.
Googling His Will does not produce a definitive answer.
Oh, wouldn’t it be nice if it did, though? Actually, I just googled this subject to see what I would find. Of course, there was no clear, concise answer. I predict this approach would have been even less helpful if I had actually been searching for a specific answer regarding a decision I needed to make. A lot of cool Scripture verses popped up, loaded with truth. However, reading over them all just seemed overwhelming and confusing. These random Scripture verses mentioned His Will and even gave examples of what it might look like, but they fail to deliver what I want in the moment: a specific answer on what to do next!
We can “google” in others ways. We often search through self-made lists of pros and cons or ask others for advice. I tend to analyze situations profusely, looking for the “right” decision, all the while hoping God will eventually send me a message via a burning bush or something! His Will seems so mysterious and evasive.
There is a common thread when it comes to what God wants, regardless of the situation.
Fear of making the “wrong move” can paralyze us. It would be extremely helpful if we could have one, simple thing to refer to whenever we get lost in confusion regarding a relationship issue, a job change, or any other decision we may face. Thankfully, even though there must be a thousand examples of doing what God wants us to do, there IS one thing that stands out as important, no matter what.
Several years ago, I was faced with an invitation to become an Interim Youth Pastor at a local church. I had no idea what to do. I truly wanted to do the right thing. I prayed all week. As the deadline approached to let the pastor and deacons know my response, I still had no answer from God on what He wanted me to do. Either way, I would have obstacles to face.
With no clear answer from Him, I just had to take a step forward or remain frozen. I decided to take the position. I knew it would require a lot out of me, facing my fears of public speaking and the unknown of a position I had never been in before. Very shortly after making the decision, I received confirmation from God of my decision. I thought, “Really? Why couldn’t you have told me this sooner?”
Above all else, God wants us to…
Trust Him. That’s the ultimate thing God desires. That is His Will for us. In deciding whether or not to take the Youth Pastor position, faith was exercised in simply making a decision, not finding and making the right decision. Regardless of what I chose, He wanted me to trust Him to be with me on the other side of it.
Faith produces the ability to push forward with difficult decisions.
In the midst of a major, potentially life-changing decision, God would rather us trust Him than do anything else. He desires the intimacy that comes with that trust. That does not mean weighing out our options is not important when needing to make a choice. It’s just that it should come second to trusting Him. Many decisions really have no inherently right or wrong answers. In other words, we could trust Him, regardless of which direction we take. Faith produces confidence and peace when we are at a crossroads and do not know which way to turn. Knowing a loving Heavenly Father is there, proud of us no matter what, makes all the difference.