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What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do |
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Written by Lane Craig Thompson
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"I need direction." "I don't know which decision to make." "I feel like I'm in a fog and don't know how to get out!"
Do you ever feel that way? Most of us have -- more than once. In fact, decision making is one of the toughest areas of life that we deal with, and rightly so because decisions can have long lasting consequences.
Here are some principles to help you when you are faced with tough decisions.
- What does God's Word say about it?
Many times, people get stuck praying about something for days or weeks that is plainly spelled out in God's Word. Don't pray for direction asking whether or not you should GIVE as a Christian. Matthew 6 says, "WHEN you give," which assumes that we will. Paul noted that the Lord loves a cheerful giver. Numerous other scriptures deal with the same topic.
So if God has already addressed the issue in His Word, you don't need to pray for extra special revelation. Find out what He says through a good Bible study. Then, just obey.
- What does God's Spirit say about it?
There will be plenty of times that you run across a decision that has to be made which seemingly has no clear mandate in Scripture. In those times, the first thing to do is pray and ask God earnestly and sincerely what you should do.
Sometimes God desires to give us specific direction by the voice of His Spirit speaking to us. His Word tells us that during these times, we will hear a voice behind us saying, "This is the way. Walk in it." whenever we turn to the right or left (cf. Isaiah 30:21).
- What if I don't hear anything? Then what do I do?
In times like this, there are other principles to follow. The first is to seek counsel. God has not put us in this world to live alone. Rather, He expects us to live in the greater community of faith and to learn from the experiences of others.
Find people who are godly, wise and willing to help others. (If you're unsure how to do this, ASK somebody to point you to someone in your local church or larger fellowship of believers who fits the bill.) After you get input from such a person on the decision you are dealing with, find someone else and get a second opinion. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, Scripture tells us that in the MULTITUDE of counsellors there is safety (Proverbs 24:6).
After listening to the wise counsel, you should be able to resolve a number of the questions you have and make a decision.
Long term, the goal of this is for you to become wise yourself and be able to make decisions based on wisdom. This is yet another principle. God promises us that if we lack wisdom, we can ask for it from God and that He will give it to us. Ask today and start expecting. Read Proverbs to get a head start.
When you begin to act out of wisdom, you learn to explore all your options in a decision that is not clear cut. You begin to weigh each direction by its consequences and benefits. And you act according to how a particiular decision fits into the long term goals that you and God have for your life.
A final principle to live by is that of freedom and peace. Sometimes God simply says, "What do YOU want to do?" As frightening as that can be at times, it is also very freeing to know that God does care what we think about the decisions that we encounter. When He gives us a free reign to make whatever decision we want, then go with whatever suits you best. Above all, go with the decision that produces peace in your heart and in the world around you. The peace-filled heart is steadfast in knowing that God's love transcends our ability to make the right choice every time. And the heart that seeks peace inwardly and to make peace outwardly is a heart that can be led the right way.
God bless you as you begin to make decisions that you can live and die with.
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