God Signs For Your Direction
How do I discover God's Will in my life?
How can I tell the difference between my dreams and God's dream for me?
What does He want me to do next?
If you've asked these questions, welcome to the club. These are questions that thousands of believers have asked.
The answers to these questions are crucial to our spiritual journey. The answers are important to our fulfillment on this side of eternity.
Knowing God’s will is on the mind of every genuine follower of Christ. Sometimes our question about God’s will is regarding a decision we are facing. Sometimes we are thinking about the future, big life decision or a ‘calling’ in our life.
Apostle Paul used to pray for other believers like this: We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God… Colossians 1:9-10 NIV
Signs Along the Way in Discovery of God's Plans
1. Pursue God’s Personal Direction in Prayer and Reading the Scripture
Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. Psalm 119:105 NIV
The Bible will not address every decision you need to make but it will address many specific issues. Also, reading the Word will impact and alter your own values so that as your heart and mind are renewed you will view situations through a new filter; the filter of His Word. It will help you make wise choices in the face of uncertainty.
Our ability to make wise decisions when faced with unclear direction will make the difference between moving toward the purpose of God in our life and a season of multiplied confusion.
We learn about finding His will by seeing similar principles in the Word that can be applied to the unique situation.
Too many believers think they hear God’s voice telling them to do something or to take a certain path but it actually is in contrast to what the Bible would teach us to do.
A good definition of ‘Hearing God’s voice’ is: understanding His direction and knowing your ‘next steps’ – it’s not necessarily hearing a voice out loud but an inner whisper of God – directing us in a way that is in alliance with His written Word.
2. What Bugs You? (When considering if God is leading you to be involved in an area of ministry or an area that could be a mission for you, think about this question.)
Do you have a Holy Discontent? I heard Bill Hybels present this question and it became really clear to me that this had often led me in my life.
I was bothered by dull church services. It was frustrating for me to hear about Jesus in a way that did not inspire personal devotion to him.
I didn't like:
- Heartless worship, music that does not help inspire worship
- Critical Christians who defined themselves by what they were against
- Compassionless expression of our faith or
- A presentation of the gospel that does not relate to our everyday life.
We started Oasis Church 28 years ago.
Seeing a need that you feel strongly about and want to bring a solution to can be a clue to what God is leading you to do. Sometimes an issue that makes you angry is evidence of something you care deeply about and it could be that God has wired you to respond to it.
For instance, poverty, breast cancer awareness, teens who need a big brother or sister, struggling marriages, sexual abuse and other issues like that can be a clue to God’s leading in your life.
Don’t let your frustration cause you to act inappropriately – let them inspire you to action that will bring a solution.
- It bothers me that almost 1 billion people do not have access to clean drinking water - so I started Generosity Water.
- I hate to see marriages break up – so we teach about how to build a strong marriage and have I written a book on marriage and relationships (How To Turn Your Marriage Around In 10 Days) – and while we did not plan to, we now speak about this around the world.
- It troubles me to see the millions of orphans in the world – so we raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help care for orphans.
- Holly, didn’t like seeing women’s ministry that lacked creativity and inspiration and mainly directed for older women - so she started GodChicks.
- It saddened me to see so many young men without a father who would not spend time with them, so I became a mentor to one young boy.
What bothers you in our world today? How can you make a difference? What is going on in our society that makes you sad? Can you imagine something you could do about it? You may not be able to change the whole world but is there something you could do to help one person?
