Someone sent me a funny reel of a man acting out how we think God will show us his plans versus how it actually plays out in real life.
This is literally only funny in a 10-second video on social media, but it's so spot on - sometimes it really does feels like God leaves us with the biggest cliffhanger.
A few posts back I mentioned dealing with issues at a previous job and how I was on the verge of putting in my two weeks notice.
At a certain point I thought God was giving me the greenlight to quit - no job lined up, no emergency savings, no plan ... nothing.
I didn't know if that nudge to leave was from God or just my judgement being clouded by wanting to get out of a toxic situation.
The stakes were high, but my clarity was at an all time low.
What did God want me to do? Both options in front of me were equally undesirable.
This life experience taught me how to navigate the gray area when it comes to making decisions - godly decisions - whenever I'm not sure what to do.
The reality is, knowing what God wants us to do can definitely feel like a mystery sometimes.
But there are 5 guiding questions that have never failed to bring the clarity I need when I'm making life decisions.
1. Does it line up with God’s teachings and principles?
The more I get to know God's character and practice the life principles laid out in the Bible, the better I get at recognizing when I'm hearing from God or going rogue and doing my own thing.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is always a good checklist to revisit when you need to do a gut check to make sure your heart is in the right place before making a decision.
2. Have you spent time praying and seeking God’s guidance?
Sometimes I catch myself spending more time thinking about and planning my next steps than I do actually talking to God about it.
It could save us so much frustration if we take a second to assess how often we’ve been seeking and listening for God’s direction, and make adjustments as needed.
3. Do you feel peace about it?
This is a tricky one. Having peace about a decision can either mean you've got the green light and you’re on the right track, or it could be a sign that you’re so overwhelmed that you’ve become completely numb.
Similar to tip #2, one way to check the source of our peace is to assess how much quality time we’re spending with God. Anybody can experience peace, but God's peace only comes from spending 1:1 time in his presence.
4. Have you asked for advice from mature Christians?
There was one time in my life where I would ask certain people for advice when I was fishing for a specific answer that would justify a questionable decision I was already set on making. More often than not, the decisions that followed would set me back in some way.
These days, I don’t have time to toy around with my destiny or time, so when it comes to making life decisions, I choose to consult with people who can give objective, spiritually sound advice.
And here’s a hard truth: Sometimes family and friends who love you and mean well will not be the ones that can offer the God-centered advice you need. So, if your circle is lacking people who can give you advice rooted in God's principles, now's a good time to start building your circle of "wise counsel," be it a church or small group, where you feel welcomed and accepted.
5. Will this help you grow in your faith and relationship with God?
God will never encourage us to pursue anyone or anything that stunts our spiritual growth or pulls us away from him.
Whether you're exploring a relationship or a business endeavor, if it leads to any kind of spiritual compromise, it's not the right path for you--and it's not from God. And if you're dating, remember there's a clear difference between someone who loves God and someone who lives for God. So, pay close attention before getting too invested. You want relationships that will propel you forward, not derail you.
When it came to making a tough career decision, instead of obsessing over what the future might hold, I found clarity and patience in asking myself 'What am I doing or not doing right now?' This shift in thinking helped me self assess so that I could see what adjustments I needed to make in my life. The result? A new job and career path that no glimpse into the future could have prepared me for.
The takeaway here is that all the questions I've shared with you point us back to God. And you can be sure you're on the right path when you're not leaving him out.