I don't know what God wants me to do.

[prayingforhelp86]

About a year ago I had a major life event that has left me with the possibility of 2 paths to take. It was devastating news at the time and I didn't know what to do so I started praying. I had drifted away from God and so the first few months I was really just going through motions and trying to process what was going on. At some point I started to feel His presence in my life and I even started getting answers and help (not sure if that is really the right word) with smaller things that I was bringing to him. I think that was the first time in my life that I really felt that and it felt like a superpower.

My problem is that I'm still left with this big decision to determine which path I should take in my life. I've continued to pray for guidance, but this time I'm either not hearing what He's trying to tell me or He's not telling me anything. I feel stuck. What do you do when you have a major decision, but can't hear which path matches His will?

 

[Pop D.]

Try reading the Bible until you find a passage that speaks to your situation. That's one of the ways He speaks to us.

 

[Unqualified]

Church, pastor, read the bible……….

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @prayingforhelp86, first off (since I see that you are a new member here) WELCOME TO CF

As for your OP topic, what is the will of God for my life, the most direct answer that I can give you is to wait on the Lord to make things clear to you. If you cannot wait because a decision must be made immediately, please let me know so that we can talk further about that.

In the meantime, you may find one or more of the following helpful (I know that I have ). Both of these teaching series are by theologian/pastor Dr. R C Sproul and were originally made for his radio broadcast ministry called, Renewing Your Mind (see Romans 12:2, which is the verse from which the broadcast title was taken, but is also a verse that speaks directly to discovering God's will for our lives ).

God's Will and the Bible by R.C. Sproul from The Will of God

Ligonier Ministries, founded by R.C. Sproul, exists to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible.

www.ligonier.org

(This lecture has more to do with what ~not~ to do when seeking to find God's will, which is important to know/understand, of course. And just FYI, lecture 2 in this 2-part series can be listened to for free in the five-part series below)​

​

Looking for God's Will by R.C. Sproul from Knowing God's Will

Ligonier Ministries, founded by R.C. Sproul, exists to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible.

www.ligonier.org

Praying for you!

God bless you!!

--David
p.s. - lastly, here are a couple of quotes for you to consider that have proven to be very helpful to me concerning the will of God for my life. The Scripture verse is a wonderful command with a wonderful promise attached to it, the key to which (to obeying our half of the verse, that is) is found in always chasing after the Lord, never after the things that we think that we want from Him I believe that this verse also helps us understand that beyond making choices that are in accord with what the Bible teaches us, His specific will for our lives is most often discovered in our ongoing and growing relationship with Him.

That said, here is the verse and the Christian quote (from theologian Dr. Sinclair Ferguson).

Psalm 37​

4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.​

​

 

[prayingforhelp86]

Hello @prayingforhelp86, first off (since I see that you are a new member here) WELCOME TO CF

As for your OP topic, what is the will of God for my life, the most direct answer that I can give you is to wait on the Lord to make things clear to you. If you cannot wait, and a decision must be made immediately, please let me know we'll talk further.

In the meantime, you may find one or more of the following helpful (I know that I have ). Both series are by theologian/pastor Dr. R C Sproul and were originally made for his radio broadcast ministry called, Renewing Your Mind (see Romans 12:2).

God's Will and the Bible by R.C. Sproul from The Will of God

Ligonier Ministries, founded by R.C. Sproul, exists to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible.

www.ligonier.org

(This is more about what ~not~ to do when seeking to find God's will, which is important to know/understand, of course)​

​

Finding a Job that Fits by R.C. Sproul from Knowing God's Will

Ligonier Ministries, founded by R.C. Sproul, exists to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible.

www.ligonier.org

Praying for you!

God bless you!!

--David
p.s. - lastly, here are a couple of quotes for you to consider that have proven to be very helpful to me concerning the will of God for my life. The Scripture verse is a wonderful command with a wonderful promise attached to it, the key to which (to obeying our half of the verse, that is) is found in always chasing after the Lord, never after the things that we think that we want from Him I believe that this verse also helps us understand that beyond making choices that are in accord with what the Bible teaches us, His specific will for our lives is most often discovered in our ongoing and growing relationship with Him.

That said, here is the verse and the Christian quote (from theologian Dr. Sinclair Ferguson).

Psalm 37​

4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.​

View attachment 342189​

Thank you, I'll be driving into these links tonight. I guess it really isn't urgent. It's just me wanting to know the right path so I can move on to the next season of life.

 

[St_Worm2]

Thank you, I'll be driving into these links tonight. I guess it really isn't urgent. It's just me wanting to know the right path so I can move on to the next season of life.

Hello again prayingforhelp86, if making this decision is not urgent, then continuing to seek His will by patiently trusting Him and waiting for Him to reveal His will to you is probably the way to go (knowing how much He loves us, and that He always has our very best in mind, even when He says "no" or "wait" instead of "yes" to our heart's desire in the moment).

God bless you!!

--David

“I realized that the deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way in the end, but by His making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able to honestly pray what He taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done.” ~Missionary/author Elisabeth Elliot​

 

[eleos1954]

About a year ago I had a major life event that has left me with the possibility of 2 paths to take. It was devastating news at the time and I didn't know what to do so I started praying. I had drifted away from God and so the first few months I was really just going through motions and trying to process what was going on. At some point I started to feel His presence in my life and I even started getting answers and help (not sure if that is really the right word) with smaller things that I was bringing to him. I think that was the first time in my life that I really felt that and it felt like a superpower.

My problem is that I'm still left with this big decision to determine which path I should take in my life. I've continued to pray for guidance, but this time I'm either not hearing what He's trying to tell me or He's not telling me anything. I feel stuck. What do you do when you have a major decision, but can't hear which path matches His will?

The decision should not hinder your relationship with the Lord ... if either "option" does not interfere then just pick the one that you want to pursue. We aren't Gods robots .... His will is for us to have a relationship of integrity with Him at all times and what we choose is not to violate that ... whether that be in personal relationships and/or anything else, ie education, employment, business decisions etc.

The decision you make .... may or may not work out ... but that does not mean it wasn't what God wanted you to do ... or not do.

Point ... maintain your relationship with God always in all things.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

First... if your issue is addressed in the Word, and you follow what the scriptures say, then you are acting in faith, and God is pleased with you.
Perhaps God wants or is allowing you to make the decision. Perhaps that is His will. I am one who believes this way. I believe He leaves some things up to you. Pick whatever tie you want. I think He will also determine your path by the desires of your heart. You tell Him what you want, and He will help it happen for you. This is the essence of prayer—even larger decisions like jobs, homes, and marriage. Determine what you want and operate in faith. If there is some reason He wants you to do something else, He can certainly let you know.
Whatever this is about, approach it and act in faith, and you will do no wrong. You will be in the perfect, good, acceptable will of God.

 

[Solo81]

I will offer 2 snippets of advice:
1) I was agonising over a decision a few years ago and i kept asking the Lord "which one should i do". The answer the Lord gave me was "I have already put my answer in your heart". I had to rest and relax myself and let his answer rise up from within.
2) A translation of Colossians 3:15 in one of my bibles reads "The peace that Christ gives is to guide us in the decisions we make".
I usually discuss with Him, the potential pros/cons of each choice; which one i want and why, etc and before long, a sense of peace will attend which ever is the choice He wants for me.

Now, if Jesus hasn't indicated his desire to you yet - be patient! Don't rush him. He'll speak when He's ready and your job is to trust him and thank him.

Hope I was of some help to you. Jesus has never left me down when an answer was needed but many times i needed to be more patient and trust him. He's the best!

 

[prayingforhelp86]

I will offer 2 snippets of advice:
1) I was agonising over a decision a few years ago and i kept asking the Lord "which one should i do". The answer the Lord gave me was "I have already put my answer in your heart". I had to rest and relax myself and let his answer rise up from within.
2) A translation of Colossians 3:15 in one of my bibles reads "The peace that Christ gives is to guide us in the decisions we make".
I usually discuss with Him, the potential pros/cons of each choice; which one i want and why, etc and before long, a sense of peace will attend which ever is the choice He wants for me.

Now, if Jesus hasn't indicated his desire to you yet - be patient! Don't rush him. He'll speak when He's ready and your job is to trust him and thank him.

Hope I was of some help to you. Jesus has never left me down when an answer was needed but many times i needed to be more patient and trust him. He's the best!

First... if your issue is addressed in the Word, and you follow what the scriptures say, then you are acting in faith, and God is pleased with you.
Perhaps God wants or is allowing you to make the decision. Perhaps that is His will. I am one who believes this way. I believe He leaves some things up to you. Pick whatever tie you want. I think He will also determine your path by the desires of your heart. You tell Him what you want, and He will help it happen for you. This is the essence of prayer—even larger decisions like jobs, homes, and marriage. Determine what you want and operate in faith. If there is some reason He wants you to do something else, He can certainly let you know.
Whatever this is about, approach it and act in faith, and you will do no wrong. You will be in the perfect, good, acceptable will of God.

Thank you both for the advice. Neither path goes against His word so I guess that is good. There is a clear path in my heart that I want to take, but that path seems to keep having more obstacles and is not exactly something I can do completely on my own. I think I've been getting it in my head that maybe all the obstacles was His way of saying this is the wrong path. Yet the fact that I'm not sure that is the case and He only speaks in clarity that means it's probably not him trying to tell me something yet?

I am struggling and a year of this feels like forever. I'm praying now more than ever and relying on Him to get me through plenty of things on a daily basis. I guess I'm just being impatient on the bigger thing. I want to believe that if I follow my heart and continue to listen for His desire I can't go wrong. I also worry that I'm letting what I want overpower something he his trying to tell me and I'm just going down the wrong path. It doesn't help that I have other people telling me I should choose the other path. They are speaking from a place of love, but I don't believe they are speaking on His behalf.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I will offer 2 snippets of advice:
1) I was agonising over a decision a few years ago and i kept asking the Lord "which one should i do". The answer the Lord gave me was "I have already put my answer in your heart". I had to rest and relax myself and let his answer rise up from within.
2) A translation of Colossians 3:15 in one of my bibles reads "The peace that Christ gives is to guide us in the decisions we make".
I usually discuss with Him, the potential pros/cons of each choice; which one i want and why, etc and before long, a sense of peace will attend which ever is the choice He wants for me.

Now, if Jesus hasn't indicated his desire to you yet - be patient! Don't rush him. He'll speak when He's ready and your job is to trust him and thank him.

Hope I was of some help to you. Jesus has never left me down when an answer was needed but many times i needed to be more patient and trust him. He's the best!

That is a good understanding of Col 3:15. The old timers used to say, "Follow the peace" or "I have peace about that."

 

[Bones49]

Thank you both for the advice. Neither path goes against His word so I guess that is good. There is a clear path in my heart that I want to take, but that path seems to keep having more obstacles and is not exactly something I can do completely on my own. I think I've been getting it in my head that maybe all the obstacles was His way of saying this is the wrong path. Yet the fact that I'm not sure that is the case and He only speaks in clarity that means it's probably not him trying to tell me something yet?

I am struggling and a year of this feels like forever. I'm praying now more than ever and relying on Him to get me through plenty of things on a daily basis. I guess I'm just being impatient on the bigger thing. I want to believe that if I follow my heart and continue to listen for His desire I can't go wrong. I also worry that I'm letting what I want overpower something he his trying to tell me and I'm just going down the wrong path. It doesn't help that I have other people telling me I should choose the other path. They are speaking from a place of love, but I don't believe they are speaking on His behalf.

Many of us have been there. It isn't a comfortable place to be. When in University I felt God calling me to go to the mission field. When I got an option to go, my concern was that I wanted to go because I was uncomfortable in the church context I was in - I didn't want to be running away from my current situation.

If you have one of the path's in your heart, that could be an indication of what God wants (he will give you the desires of your heart). You could focus your prayers on that, with the idea is this something I want from a selfish, worldly perspective, or a desire that God has placed in my heart.

The way try to deal with these decisions is, at the point you are at, choose which way you want to go and carefully start moving in that direction, if God doesn't want you to go that way he will tell you, but it may be that he doesn't mind which way you go. The other trick is that if you are moving in the direction God wants, the enemy might not like that so might make it difficult. So then we have to learn to discern when God is saying no, and when the enemy is trying to block us. (I would continue on this theme, but in a hurry).

Also, you could try adding fasting to your prayer, and add a little extra kick to it.

 

[Solo81]

Thank you both for the advice. Neither path goes against His word so I guess that is good. There is a clear path in my heart that I want to take, but that path seems to keep having more obstacles and is not exactly something I can do completely on my own. I think I've been getting it in my head that maybe all the obstacles was His way of saying this is the wrong path. Yet the fact that I'm not sure that is the case and He only speaks in clarity that means it's probably not him trying to tell me something yet?

I am struggling and a year of this feels like forever. I'm praying now more than ever and relying on Him to get me through plenty of things on a daily basis. I guess I'm just being impatient on the bigger thing. I want to believe that if I follow my heart and continue to listen for His desire I can't go wrong. I also worry that I'm letting what I want overpower something he his trying to tell me and I'm just going down the wrong path. It doesn't help that I have other people telling me I should choose the other path. They are speaking from a place of love, but I don't believe they are speaking on His behalf.

If your heart is desiring a certain path, then that probably is the path for you. The obstacles you perceive are of no consequence to God and may benefit you - you will need his help to proceed down this path and are less likely to forget about Him than if you were to take the easier route. We grow more through struggling than from the easy way.

As another poster said, God may be leaving the choice entirely up to you also - in which case; follow your heart.

 

[Goldnagel]

About a year ago I had a major life event that has left me with the possibility of 2 paths to take. It was devastating news at the time and I didn't know what to do so I started praying. I had drifted away from God and so the first few months I was really just going through motions and trying to process what was going on. At some point I started to feel His presence in my life and I even started getting answers and help (not sure if that is really the right word) with smaller things that I was bringing to him. I think that was the first time in my life that I really felt that and it felt like a superpower.

My problem is that I'm still left with this big decision to determine which path I should take in my life. I've continued to pray for guidance, but this time I'm either not hearing what He's trying to tell me or He's not telling me anything. I feel stuck. What do you do when you have a major decision, but can't hear which path matches His will?

You have made an important step by talking to God, but just as important is listening to Him (as otherrs have already mentioned).
Jesus stated
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent...Joh 17:3.Getting to know God is only possible through his word.

 

[Aussie Pete]

About a year ago I had a major life event that has left me with the possibility of 2 paths to take. It was devastating news at the time and I didn't know what to do so I started praying. I had drifted away from God and so the first few months I was really just going through motions and trying to process what was going on. At some point I started to feel His presence in my life and I even started getting answers and help (not sure if that is really the right word) with smaller things that I was bringing to him. I think that was the first time in my life that I really felt that and it felt like a superpower.

My problem is that I'm still left with this big decision to determine which path I should take in my life. I've continued to pray for guidance, but this time I'm either not hearing what He's trying to tell me or He's not telling me anything. I feel stuck. What do you do when you have a major decision, but can't hear which path matches His will?

I had a situation about 45 years ago that I could not work out. Eventually, I said to God that I was going to choose one of the options and that was it. I decided and I was immediately flooded with peace and joy. Peace of heart is the main indication that we are on the right track. Colossians 3:15 is talking about decisions in the local church, but it also works at the individual level.

 

[tturt]

That peace and joy may be very brief- might not linger but it's the right path.

 

[prayingforhelp86]

That peace and joy may be very brief- might not linger but it's the right path.

This makes me think one path is the clear path. One option brings me no peace and joy, but could bring relief. The other path brings me both when I think about it, but I just kept hitting obstacles that made me think it was impossible. I guess it is at least not time for me to give up.

 

[TPop]

About a year ago I had a major life event that has left me with the possibility of 2 paths to take. It was devastating news at the time and I didn't know what to do so I started praying. I had drifted away from God and so the first few months I was really just going through motions and trying to process what was going on. At some point I started to feel His presence in my life and I even started getting answers and help (not sure if that is really the right word) with smaller things that I was bringing to him. I think that was the first time in my life that I really felt that and it felt like a superpower.

My problem is that I'm still left with this big decision to determine which path I should take in my life. I've continued to pray for guidance, but this time I'm either not hearing what He's trying to tell me or He's not telling me anything. I feel stuck. What do you do when you have a major decision, but can't hear which path matches His will?

One of two things. Wait. Wait on God. Perhaps that is what he is teaching you. Trust in Him. Or, Fellowship. Perhaps your fellowship with God is in disrepair.

Daniel prayed for help. But the prince (fallen angel) of the land kept the angel from getting to him. For 21 days the angels did battle and Michael was called down to help defeat the prince of Persia. The demon over the leader of Persia.

There are immediate answers, there are delayed answers, and there are no answers given. In the case of the latter, perhaps not your Salvation is in danger, but your Fellowship with God is not in good shape.

Correct your fellowship and/or wait.

You may also need to re-asses your options. Perhaps neither is appropriate?

Peace and Blessings.