Philippians 1:6
Here are 3 signs that usually mean God is telling you to stop second-guessing yourself and trust that you made the right choice.
1. If You Prayed and Committed This Decision to the Lord Before You Made It, This Is a Sign God Is Now Saying, “Stop Seconding-Guessing Yourself”
It’s especially easy to second-guess your decision about something when the results did not turn out to be what you thought they would be. For example:
- Maybe you sensed you needed to go slower with someone but when you expressed this desire to slow down, this person got defensive and ghosted you. Now you are wondering, “Did I do the right thing?”
- Perhaps you had a job that was “so-so,” not great, but not bad. So when you switched companies to make more money but now you are dealing with a lot more stress, you are asking yourself, “Maybe God wanted me to stay at my old job?”
- Or maybe after you broke up with your ex they got into a new relationship really fast and they are now engaged, so you begin to have doubts, “Maybe I’ll be single forever because I just can’t seem to find someone I love.”
If you prayerfully did your best in the past to make a good decision, trust that you did your best. It’s not fair to judge past decisions in light of new information. You did what you could then to make the right choice then.
Proverbs 16:2 states, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” If you tried to follow the Lord but now you are second-guessing yourself because the results are not what you hoped they would be, remind yourself that the journey is not over. Sometimes you just need to travel further down the road to see that this decision really was the right choice.
2. If You Did What You Know Was Biblically Right Even Though It Was Not What You Wanted Emotionally, This Is a Sign God Is Saying, “Stop Second-Guessing Yourself”
The Bible doesn’t say, “Do the right thing when it’s easy to do the right thing.” It’s not easy to move out from living with your boyfriend or girlfriend once you are convicted by the Holy Spirit and you want to start following the Lord again. It’s easier to split the bills with someone, it’s easier to pretend this person will change, and it’s easier to not have to admit that you were wrong for moving in with this person in the first place.
But again, God doesn’t call you to just obey his leading when it feels like the right emotional decision. God calls us to obey his word at all times. Of course we fail at this, but it still must be our aim. If we wait to obey God until we feel like it, we will probably never obey him. However, when you make the right choice even when you don’t feel like it, eventually your emotions usually catch up and then you do start feeling like obeying him too.
All that to say, if you know you obeyed the Bible, never second-guess your decision. It may take time to see the positive fruit of your obedience, but one day you will undoubtedly see it (James 1:12, 25).
3. If You’re in the Messy Phase of Repentance Still But the Pain You Are Going Through Is Causing You to Second-Guess Yourself, God Says, “You’re Making the Right Choice Still”
Forgiveness happens the instant we confess our sins to God (1 John 1:9), but sanctification is a process that sometimes takes longer than we want. For example:
- If I struggled with gluttony for years, God will forgive me instantly if I confess. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to wake up 50lbs lighter. Now I need to repent by choosing a healthy daily diet and learning to be active again.
- If I wasted 20 years of my adult life living in sinful relationships, God will forgive me instantly if I confess. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to instantly get blessed with a mature Christian marriage. Now I need to unlearn bad relationship habits and find someone who loves the Lord even though there are less relationship options out there compared to when I was younger.
- If I got mixed up with credit cards and bad debt but then I confess my sins, God will forgive me instantly. However, my credit score is still going to be jacked up. Now I need to learn how to live on a budget and manage my money better.
It’s instantly freeing and amazing when we experience the forgiveness of God through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. But we can begin to second-guess ourselves when we are being disciplined and going through the painful process of sanctification (Hebrews 12:6-11).
Don’t give up. It’s a process. If you stay faithful, your efforts will be rewarded. I don’t know your future or what God’s plan is for you. But I do know that when we love and follow the Lord, good things always happen. Never second-guess that truth (Philippians 1:6, Romans 8:28-30).
