Whenever I face major decisions in my life, I always end up dealing with some level of discouragement. Am I making the right call? Am I making the wrong call? Am I choosing this path because I’m frustrated? If I make this decision, will God be angry with me? Will He refuse to bless me if I do what I think is right?
Good questions. And they’re good questions to ask yourself, especially when you are teetering on the edge of a life-changing decision. What college will you attend? What job will you accept? What city will you live in? What house will you buy?
I’ve got a pretty big decision coming up here soon. Can’t talk about it quite yet. But it’s a doozy. And my anxieties are taking me for a wild ride. And as I was sitting in my desk chair at my office yesterday, stressed out and worrying, I looked up and asked God to show me I was doing the right thing. I felt stupid asking, honestly. Because only people in books or movies do that. And God’s not bound to giving me signs when I ask for it. But I was putting myself in knots.
And not five minutes later, God dropped a massive bag of encouragement right on my big, stupid face. It was like He was telling me, Stop worrying already! What do I have to do? And it even came from the person I least expected. God used somebody I didn’t even think liked me to encourage me and remind me that He’s in control, and He is the one who determines success. Not me.
Today’s verses are Proverbs 3:5-6.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
This is my life verse. If you don’t know what that is, some Christians pick verses out of the Bible because they represent the kind of life they want to live. I chose this verse when I was a freshman in high school.
That doesn’t mean I always listen to it, though. No, I actually chose this verse because it’s something I strive to do on a daily basis. I don’t always listen to God. I don’t always trust Him. I mostly lean on my own understanding, take credit for His actions, and follow my own rules.
This verse is a reminder for me. No, it’s more than a reminder. It’s a 2×4, and I need to use it more often.
God says Trust! So I need to choose to trust Him regardless of my circumstances. If He has pointed me in a specific direction, I need to follow that road until it ends. And it shouldn’t be a half-hearted trust where I tiptoe ahead, terrified of what’s in front of me. No, it should be a bold, confident stride. Humble still, yes, but not afraid.
God says not to rely on my own perspective of life. That’s hard. But we can’t see life and living the way the world does and expect to be successful in what God has called us to do. You can’t serve the world and God at the same time. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t walk two roads. It just doesn’t work. You’ll fail both.
We like to make the idea of seeking God’s will complicated, but it’s not. That just means to do what God says is right. Maybe He doesn’t have specific directions like “Don’t buy a house that costs $1 million” or “Stop eating Big Macs.” But God does tell us to be responsible with our finances and to take care of our bodies, and that may look different for each person. God has told us what is right. We just have to do it.
And if you do those things, God will show you what direction you’re supposed to go. Trust Him, see life as He sees it, and value what He values—and you’ll know what you’re supposed to do.
And in those moments where you just feel discouraged, look up. God’s not too busy to reassure you. And you might be surprised how He does it and who He uses.
Always Peachy 