4 Reasons God Has Not Given You a Sign

Here are 4 possible reasons for why God has not given you a sign even though you are asking him for one in regards to an important question you have.

1. You May Not See a Sign from God Because You Are Looking for the Wrong Type of Sign

As I talk about in much greater detail in my article called What Does the Bible Say About Signs from God?, there are basically three different categories of “signs.”

The first category of signs is what I call “signs and wonders.” These are supernatural events that are direct revelations from God. God alone chooses when he will produce this type of sign and we are told in the Bible not to ask for these types of signs (Matthew 16:1-4).

The second category of signs is what I call “evidence for what God wants you to do.” These are the types of signs we should be looking for all the time because God is constantly sending us information that he wants us to use to make decisions. Through the Bible, the Spirit’s leading in our hearts, and the events in our lives, God’s will is constantly being revealed to us. All the videos and articles I make are only about this type of sign.

And the third category of signs is what I call “horoscopes and superstitions.” This is when we take random events or superstitious actions and attach our own meaning to these things. God doesn’t speak through confusing and ambiguous means. He doesn’t attach unrelated meanings to unrelated things. For example, if you ask God if someone is your future spouse, and then you see a green leaf flying in the wind, it would be wrong to interpret this as a sign that God is giving you the green light to marry this person because this leaf in the wind has nothing to do with biblical marriage principles.

I say all of this because many times God is actually sending you signs about the question you have but you are either looking for the “signs and wonders” type of sign or you are looking for the “horoscopes and superstitions” type of sign rather than the “evidence for what God wants you to do” type of sign.

The Holy Spirit speaks through wisdom, through biblical truth, and through relevant events that occur in your life. If you are neglecting the evidence God is sending, it will feel like God is not giving you a sign.

2. You May Not See a Sign from God Because You Don’t Know How to Interpret the Signs He Is Sending

It’s not enough to just look for the correct types of signs. You also need to acquire the proper knowledge and wisdom to rightly interpret this evidence God is sending.

For example, if you are asking God about a relationship with a person who is not a Christian, they want to have premarital sex with you, but they are also really kind and friendly towards you, and then you are wondering what God is saying, you are confused because you don’t know how to interpret the signs here. The fact that this person is nice and kind towards you is not biblical evidence God wants you with them. But the fact that this person is not a Christian and they want to sin sexually with you is clear biblical evidence God does not want you in a relationship with this person (1 Corinthians 6:18, 2 Corinthians 6:14). God is revealing signs in an instance like this but this evidence needs to be properly interpreted through the correct biblical lens.

One reason we often lack the ability to interpret the signs properly is because we are being taught unbiblical information and we lack good teachers. In Daniel 5:11-15, God sent a clear sign, but only when a godly person was present did God allow the interpretation to be known.

Another reasons we often lack the ability to interpret evidence God is sending is because of pride. Sometimes we want to hear a certain message so bad we pridefully ignore the truth of what God is saying (Daniel 5:20-23).

3. You May Not See a Sign from God Because You Are Asking Questions Too Far Into the Future

I believe God is always leading us in our lives. This is why in Galatians 5:25 it states, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” In James 1:5-6, we are told to ask for wisdom in faith and God will give it to us. In Romans 12:2, we are told that when our minds are rightly transformed and not following the ways of this world, we will know what God’s perfect will is for us.

One reason we miss out on this experience is because we are asking God questions too far into the future. You are not really walking with the Spirit if you are asking him to reveal the future. Walking with the Spirit is about following him in the present.

For example, many people ask God, “Is this person the one?” But if you have not talked to this person yet, if you have not dated this person yet, and if you have not given God the opportunity to send you biblical evidence about this person yet, God will oftentimes not answer this question. But if you instead asked something like, “Lord, should I go up and talk to this person?” then you will probably get a better sense of what God is saying because that is a question about the present and not the distant future. Or if you have talked to this person you could then ask, “Lord, should I go on a date with this person?” God will then help you answer that question through biblically assessing this person’s character and through the events that will happen if you try to go on a date.

But if you ask questions about the distant future and you try to skip the steps that God will use to answer those questions, it will feel like God is not sending you any information about his will but that’s just because you are asking the wrong questions.

In Luke 12:56, Jesus said, “You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” Notice Jesus’ emphasis on interpreting the present. Only God knows the distant future, but he is always leading us in the present.

4. You May Not See a Sign Because You Are Living So Safely You Don’t Need a Sign from God

Sometimes God really isn’t’ sending you a sign because you are not living in such a way where a sign is needed. When we ask God to show us the future before we take any actions in life, we are basically asking God to live our lives for us. But why would God even make us in the first place if he was just going to show you the future all the time and erase your need to live your life? It’s kind of like watching a movie when someone is constantly telling you what is about to happen in the next scene. What’s the point of watching the movie?

A love for safety is often the reason for an absence of signs in your life. When you actually do bold things and actually need God to come through for you, that’s when he will come through for you. As Philippians 1:27-30 states:

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”

Notice that the evidence from God started showing up when these Christians were taking holy risks for God. Their lack of fear was a sign from God that he was with them. Likewise, if you are living so safe and haven’t yet taken action steps to do what you know God has already told you to do, he’s not going to send you more information on what to do next until you obey what he’s already said to do now.

God isn’t going to send you any signs if you aren’t in need of one. But when you get out there and start living for God, he will send you evidence about what he wants you to do next.