When Direction Doesn’t Come Easy
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).” Though often quoted tritely, this verse is a precious promise from the Lord and one that you and I may claim. Today, I’d like to share some things that the Lord has been teaching me personally this summer. I’m speaking from where I am in life right now; but since all of us will find ourselves here at one time or another, I hope that this can be an encouragement to you wherever you are at. I don’t really have answers, except what God has shown me through His word, and that is summed up in two words: Trust and Obey.
Am I the only one who sometimes wishes that God would just write His will in the sky, you know, in big black letters that you really couldn’t miss? What do you do when you are seeking direction, but it isn’t coming easily? When you see closed doors, but not very many open ones? When you are seeking God for light on a specific area of life, but He is not giving you any yet? Maybe you are looking for the “next step,” but nothing has been made plain?
You could, of course, choose to do nothing. Or you could become frustrated and run ahead, making your own decisions based on what you want instead of God’s will. But there is a third option: waiting on the Lord, trusting Him.
Waiting on the Lord does not mean just sitting around and doing nothing. A pattern of how to Biblically wait on God is outlined in Psalm 37 (below is taken from God’s word and pages 161-162 of The Path of Loneliness by Elisabeth Elliot, c. 2001, Revell.)
Trust in the Lord and do good.
Dwell in the land (settle down and be at peace where God puts you).
Delight in the Lord. Make Him your joy, seek Him above all else.
Commit your way and your life to the Lord.
Trust in Him and He will bring it to pass.
Rest in the Lord. Resting is the opposite of fighting, struggling, and arguing. It is to completely take your hands off the wheel, so to speak, and leave everything in God’s hands.
Wait patiently for Him, not worrying about others.
As we learn to wait, there are Biblical truths that we can cling to, reminding us of why we wait upon the Lord.
The Lord Often Leads Us One Step at a Time
For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). If we could see the whole picture at once, there would be no need for faith. There would be no room for desperately seeking God, honoring Him by faith when faith does not humanly make sense. We wouldn’t walk carefully, pursuing His will at all costs. His grace is, present tense, sufficient (2 Cor. 12:8). Today’s grace for today’s situation, not tomorrow’s.
This is a Time to Get to Know God Better
It’s easy, during times of uncertainty, closed doors, or lack of clear direction to just sit back and throw up your hands. But none of the above is an excuse for becoming spiritually lazy. Now is the time to focus on knowing God more. On really seeking Him (1 Chron. 16:11). Spend more time with Him instead of wasting it (which is so easy to do; I know by experience). The real purpose of our life is not to get the best job, find the right college major, do important ministry, or marry the perfect person. We are here to get to know God and to glorify Him and that, dear friend, we can do in the most mundane circumstances.
If ever anyone in Scripture had a grand life-work, it would be the apostle Paul. Then suddenly, he was cut off from fulfilling that, forced to sit in a Roman prison. Yet, he understood that the purpose of his life was not ultimately to “do” something, but to know Someone. And he could fulfil that purpose even in a prison cell!
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death (Philippians 3:10).
When you are facing what Elisabeth Elliot called “the test of free time,” throw yourself into whatever God has put before you now. We are not promised another day, so don’t wait. Live fully for Christ where you are at, even if it seems insignificant. Given to Him, nothing is insignificant (1 Cor. 10:31). Trust Him to lead you and make the way plain when He wants you to move, and until then, live for Him and obey Him with everything in you. I want to have no regrets someday when I look back on this season in my life.
On a very practical note, think about good things you could use to fill your time: spend more time in Scripture, in prayer, read and study good books, develop talents that God has given you, or take a class in something you’ve always wanted to learn more about. Listen to sermons and podcasts that point you to Christ and inform you. Find ways that you can serve those around you.
God is Always Working for Our Good, but We May Not See It
All things, friends, all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28-29). You may not see it; maybe there is something in your life right now that makes zero sense and does not seem to fit the picture that you’ve envisioned. But God is at work, often behind the scenes. Remember that He thinks thoughts of peace and not of evil toward you, to give you an expected end (Jer. 29:11). What seems like an unnecessary “bunny trail” to you may be part of God’s plan as He works toward that expected end.
Instead of Focusing On What You Don’t Know, Focus on What and Who You Do
You may be facing uncertainty on many fronts with a lot of things that seem “up in the air.” Perhaps there are areas of life where you don’t yet know God’s specific will for you. If you are walking in obedience and He has not revealed something to you yet, it’s because you don’t need to know it. He is asking you to trust Him for what you don’t know and obey Him in what you do. After all, if we don’t live up to the light we have been given, how can we expect to receive more? If we are not being faithful in the little, how can we expect Him to entrust us with much?
If He is not showing you His will yet for the uncertainties of life, leave those in His hands and live out His will for you spiritually.
Obedience is the key. I may not know exactly, for example, where I should work just now, but I do know that it’s His will for me to present my body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1). It’s His will that I press toward the mark of my high calling in Christ (Philippians 3:14). Also that I share the Gospel as often as I can (Mark 16:15). And so in these things I can be obedient, trusting Him for the rest.
Above all, Who is it that I know? When God’s ways don’t make sense to us, we need to rest on Who He is. His character and Person are unchangeable. He is good, faithful, loving, and very present. He is our Great High Priest Who understands what we go through (Heb. 4:15-16).
Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:26-31).
Waiting always involves the character of our thoughts of the one on whom we wait. Our waiting on God will depend on our faith in what He is. In our text we have the close of a passage in which God reveals Himself as the everlasting and almighty One. It is as that revelation enters our soul that the waiting becomes the spontaneous expression of what we know Him to be—a God altogether worthy to be waited upon.
Andrew Murray, “Waiting on God”
Be Open to Different
We know that God always keeps His promises (Num. 23:19, Josh. 23:14, Titus 1:2). He will guide you—it just may be in a different way than you expect and it will be in His timing, not yours. Sometimes we may miss His guidance simply because He leads us down a path that we would never consider on our own. Recently, the Lord brought me to a point where I was willing to drop my own agenda and consider whatever He would bring next. It’s good to have a vision for your life. However, it’s also important to keep that subservient to God’s plan for you.
Enjoy Where You Are Right Now
On a lighter note, look for the gifts God gives you right now. Instead of looking at what you wish were different, find your joy in Jesus and appreciate what you have. Seek to enjoy rather than endure the season you are in.
And then just be faithful where He’s put you. Follow the steps outlined in Psalm 37 that we discussed above. Trust, dwell, delight, commit, trust (again!!! God must have put it in twice for a reason 😊) rest, and wait. Let Him have His way, and you will find that you are blessed indeed.
Ultimately, this is a time of faith being tested and strengthened. We can respond in the flesh, with frustration, impatience, and taking things into our own hands. Or we can respond, “Lord, Your will be done in my life. Great or small, fulfil Your eternal purposes in me. I do not see Your plans, I do not understand what You are doing, but I trust You. Here I am, completely available to You. Help me to be faithful, here and now. May You be glorified in my life today as I wait on You to guide me for tomorrow.”
How we choose to deal with times of uncertainty may influence eternity. Are we going to trust the One Who died for us? Or will we allow anxiety and unbelief to draw us away from Him? Are we going to put ourselves in His hands? Will we let Him use this time to change and grow us, making us more like Jesus? Will we choose to die to self, to lose our own life, trusting His promise that we will find it again? May it be so, Father, in each of our lives today. Amen.
