Here are 3 signs God is telling you to just pick something you could do and do it.
1. If You’ve Prayed, Thought of Wise Steps, but Still Don’t Know What to Choose, Oftentimes God Is Telling You to Just Pick Something and Do It
What should you do when you don’t know what to do? Wait? Act? Just pray?
None of those answers are wrong. Of course pray about everything. And there’s a time for waiting. And throughout Scripture, God tells us to use wisdom. But when you’ve prayed and waited and did your best to come up with wise actions steps but you still don’t know what to do, usually the best thing to do is something. Just pick something you could do and do it.
Why? Because in our human limitedness we have no idea what will work or not work. But through trying, we often get more insight about what might be the best and most fruitful way forward. As Ecclesiastes 11:6 instructs:
In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.”
This advice obviously is under the assumption you are seeking to live biblically. Never choose a sinful path. Never do something you have a conviction not to do. But if you’ve done your best to get clarity but you still have a few options you could take, God’s path forward for you is probably just to pick one and try it and adjust your plan as you gather new information.
2. If You Are Presented with Multiple Good Options that Are All Biblical, Oftentimes God Is Telling You to Just Pick One and Do It
When you are unsure what is the biblical path forward, then certainly wait and spend more time praying (James 1:5), studying the Scriptures (Psalm 119:104), and asking other Christians for guidance (Proverbs 15:22). Never gamble when it comes to your morality and ethics. Obey your conscience in the Lord (Romans 14:23).
However, it’s also worth noting that throughout Scripture, there is a general command to just “do good.” For example:
- Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
- Psalm 37:3, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”
- Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
- 2 Thessalonians 3:13, “As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.”
It doesn’t say what the specific good is that we are to do in these verses listed above. Rather, we are told here just to do good. Thus, if you are presented with multiple options to do good, you are free to just pick one and try it. Following the will of God for your life is less about taking right turns and left turns and more about the manner in which you are traveling. As Colossians 3:17 states, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
If you are doing something good and doing it with the character of Christ, you are in God’s will. If he has a specific turn he wants you to take, he will let you know (if you are listening). Otherwise, just do good and he will make your plans succeed (Proverbs 16:3).
3. If You Are Frozen in Fear and Not Living Your Life, God Is Probably Telling You to Just Do Something
Paralysis by analysis, the frozen chosen, the spiritually minded who are no earthly good – may we not fall into these traps that so often beset the Christian life.
Seeking guidance is obviously biblical. But sometimes our obsession with finding God’s perfect plan for our lives is coming out of lack of faith. When you have an abundance of faith in Jesus, you will be careful to listen to his leading so you can follow him; but you will also be at peace even when you lack perfect understanding about what he desires for you. As Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) teaches:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
God didn’t promise to always give you understanding. But he did promise to always give you peace when you seek him in prayer. When you are at peace, you will not be frozen in fear, paralyzed by your obsession to analyze every little option available to you. You will pray and seek wisdom, but then you will make decisions and manage the life God has given you to manage for his glory (Matthew 25:14-30). Notice how Paul then encourages us with the word “whatever” in Philippians 4:8-9, which states:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
God may not give you specific information about his exact will for your life but rather he will give you general buckets to help guide you. But once we’ve spent time thinking and planning, we have to then “practice these things, and the peace of God will” then be with us.
