Decisions, Decisions, Descisions...

​When was the last time you had a tough decision to make? What college to attend. Seeking a new job. Starting a family. Moving cross country.  In life, we frequently stand between two things, trying to discern the will of God, wishing for a divinely detailed roadmap. Deciphering between the path on the left or the path on the right. What door do we close and what door do we go through?  In gut-wrenching moments like these, it is natural to wonder, "Which one is God's will for me?" 
 
We want God to tip His hand—a dramatic sign, a peace that feels obvious, some unmistakable answer that one door is "His will" and the other isn't. We pray for a Jonah-like moment—an undeniable sign from God that swallows us whole and spits us up just where we are to be.  But God rarely works that way. Abraham is a powerful Old Testament example of trusting God when the future is unclear. In Genesis 12:1-4, God told Abraham: "Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you."  God did not hand Abraham a full map. He didn’t give details. He did not explain every hardship, delay, or blessing ahead. Abraham simply received God’s promise and stepped forward in faith. Discernment, for him, looked like faithful obedience, not certainty in advance.
 
Proverbs 16:9 says, "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." We plan, but God establishes. That's not permission to be careless—wisdom, counsel, and prayer matter.  But it does free us from the paralysis of needing a perfect answer before we can move. Pray for wisdom (James 1:5), seek counsel from trusted Christians (Prov. 15:22), honestly weigh the responsibilities and opportunities before you, and then move forward in faith rather than fear.  After all, the Lord already reveals His deepest will for you: that you belong to Him through faith in Jesus (John 6:40), that you grow in holiness (1 Thess. 4:3), give thanks in every circumstance (1 Thess. 5:16-18), and love God and your neighbor (Mt. 22:37-39). Specific details of your future may remain hidden, but God's promises never are.
 
From simple decisions to major ones, research suggests that that an average person will make over 30,000 choices each day. Yikes!  Whatever lies ahead for your future, trust the One who establishes your steps. Discernment is less about decoding a hidden script, and more about walking close enough to God to know that even our unknown-to-us decisions are held in His omnipotent hands. The will of God is less a puzzle to solve and more a relationship to walk in.  No matter the tension you are in or the decision you face, do not fret.  The Lord who saves you is also the Lord who goes with you. Whichever path you take, His grace is sufficient, and His faithfulness will not fail.
 
“Yielding to God's will can be hard. And sometimes, it really hurts. But it always brings peace.” (J.M. Perkins)
“The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.” (Billy Graham)
“I will not try to run my own life or the lives of others; that is God's business.” (Eugene Peterson)