Wednesday, August 3, 2022
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:5-8
How Do I Know What God is Leading Me to Do?
Sometimes trying to figure out what is the right thing to do is beyond difficult. The noise of the world is deafening, and well-meaning friends usually have lots of advice. But when trying to make an important decision or discern what the next step is, there is only one source we should truly be listening to, and that is God. Out of all the information and advice we get, it is His guidance that matters most of all. So, how can we know what God is telling us to do?
Listen to the Spirit of God within through Prayer and Meditation. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
You cannot trust your heart until your heart is in submission to the Holy Spirit – and completely tuned into Him. We have to tune out all the distractions of the world if we really are serious about hearing Him. Distractions like social media and people can cause us to lose our focus, especially in a time when we might feel anxious because we are searching for answers. The Spirit will lead you into truth about all things and provide peace and rest.
Listen to His Word from the Bible.
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
He will show us through His word. God’s direction will never be contrary to His instruction found in His word. He gave us His Word as a gift and guide for us in this life. We can find guidance for anything we will ever come up against in life in his Word.
Listen to Godly counsel to avoid blind spots. Listen to advice and accept discipline, so that you may be wise the rest of your days. Many plans are in a person’s heart, But the advice of the LORD will stand. Proverbs 19:20-21
Listen to friends? Don’t listen to friends? The key is discernment. Pastors, counselors, and true friends will tell us the truth regardless of the consequences. But discernment is key because some will tell you what they think you want them to say to maintain favor. God does use other people in our lives to help us see things that we are having trouble seeing. Take godly counsel seriously but with prayer and discernment. And as always, if it does not align with God’s word then it should not be applied to your life.
Take the Next Revealed Step – Investigate Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-25
The worst place to be is on the edge of God’s blessing in your life and being paralyzed.Taking this step is the hardest thing. Stepping off into the unknown while trusting God is the biggest step in moving in the right direction – the direction God is telling you to go. Often God will only open and close doors as we courageously follow Him. We have to step out in faith, and this opens the door.
