Life is full of decisions, and if we want to make the right choices—those that glorify God and benefit us and others—we need the Lord’s guidance. The following seven words will help us in seeking His direction.
1. Cleansing. We need to ask, “Is anything in my life hindering me from hearing what You are saying? If so, what is it?” Cleansing comes by confession (1 John 1:9).
2. Surrendering. We must submit to whatever God instructs us to do. Sometimes we find it difficult to move ahead because we want to know step two before we complete step one of God’s will. However, we must surrender ourselves to His timing and guidance. Obeying the will of God is both a humbling and an uplifting experience (1 Peter 5:6).
3. Asking. James 4:2 reports, “You do not have because you do not ask.” God promises that when we ask according to His will, He hears us. And when we know that He hears us, we know He will answer (1 John 5:14-15)—even though the answer may come over a long period of time.
4. Meditating. God promises that His Word will be a light to our path (Ps. 119:105), so the more we think about His Word, the clearer our path will become.
5. Believing. In Mark’s Gospel, we learn that when we ask, we must believe He is going to give us what we have requested (Mark 11:22-24). Therefore, trust that He will show you what to do.
6. Waiting. God promises that He acts on our behalf when we wait for Him (Is. 64:4). If we run ahead of Him and try to fix things on our own or manipulate circumstances, we will most certainly be disappointed. However, if we wait on the Lord, then our sovereign, divine, omnipotent God will act on our behalf. It’s our choice.
7. Receiving. When we obediently seek the will of God, we can be sure that He’ll hear us and give us the wisdom we need to make the right choices (Matt. 7:7-8; James 1:5). And once we know His will, we have a responsibility to embrace His direction and obey Him completely.
You will find great peace and confidence in knowing that you are making choices based on God’s guidance. Perhaps no one else will understand or agree with your decision—but you will have heard from the One who matters the most.
Adapted from "The Charles F. Stanley’s Life Principles Bible," 2008.
