Looking for Direction

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21

Are you restless? Are you looking for direction from the Lord? Do you feel like you should be making a move but are unsure of which way to go? I want to encourage you today with a few verses that always bring comfort to my heart.

I know it is difficult when you feel like you should be moving but God’s will is not clear. Sometimes God wants us to step out in faith yet other times He tells us to wait. How can we know what we are supposed to do? We need to pray. We need to seek direction from God and allow Him to lead us. There are many promises in the Bible on which we can stand.

Here are a few of my favorite verses about seeking God’s will and direction. I pray they are an encouragement to you as you seek God’s direction for your life:

• James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

I believe that the first things we should ask of the Lord when we are seeking direction is wisdom. So many times we simply do not know what we should do. We feel in our hearts that we should be moving yet we do not know where to go. I encourage you to take time to seek wisdom that can only come from God.

• Psalm 25:4-5 “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.”

Psalms is full of great verses on seeking God’s will for our lives. After we have asked God for wisdom let us ask Him for direction.

• Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

In this verse we are given instructions on how to find God’s will for our lives. We are told to search for it. We can rest in the assurance that if we seek then God will be faithful to open the door and show us where we should go.

• Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

What comfort my heart feels when I realize that I serve the One who will direct my paths. I do not have to wander around, hoping that I am going the right way. I am told to trust the Lord, even when I do not understand where I am going.

• Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.”

As humans we often want to figure it out ourselves. God gives us this freedom, however, if we are wise we will seek His direction. Many times God allows us the room to “make our own way.” What I mean by this is that He gives us room to choose what we will do inside His guidelines. We must be careful to earnestly seek God’s will before we make any decisions concerning our lives. You see, God has a perfect will for us. If we are careful to stay within His will, we are sure to find true peace and happiness.

• Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This is one of my favorite Bible verses to think upon when I am facing a decision. My heart feels such peace when I remember that God has a plan for my life. He has not left me to wander around this world trying to find my way. No! He has a plan for my life.

Friends, I know that there are times when we feel like we should move. I also understand that these times can be full of doubt and worry. I pray these verses I have shared with you today will bring some comfort in uncertain times. Remember, God loves you and He has a plan for your life. Seek wisdom, seek direction, and allow God to guide you. He will show you the way He wants you to go.

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Seeking Direction

“Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.”

Proverbs 4:26

This week I have been “Pondering my path.” I have been dreaming; exploring my options for the future. What started out as a seemingly exciting adventure has quickly turned into a scary, uncertain road.

Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever set out for what looked like a fun, exciting time, but quickly you realized that you were lost and needed some guidance?

My children and I went for a walk last week and I captured the above photo. Both my sons and I were captivated by the scene of open space and seemingly endless opportunity. As we surveyed the land, my children began to talk about how much fun it would be to set out walking and see where it took us. I can only imagine how far they would get before they turned around in search of the safety of home.

As I look at this picture, I think about my life and how many times I have thought the same thing.

I am a self-admitted dreamer. I have been since I was a child. I look out at life and I want to run off into the sunset and see where it takes me.

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of having a nice, big house with a big front yard, a loving husband and children running around  calling me “Mommy.”

As a teenager in high-school I dreamed of going to college and getting my PhD in Psychology and becoming  “Dr. So-and-so.”

After I got married and my two oldest children were in school, I found myself lost, seeking direction. Please do not misunderstand me, I love being a wife and a mom, but with the decision to have children and not go to college came the reality that some of my dreams were going to look a little different from those I had as a child.

After some much-needed soul-searching and praying, I realized that God was working my dreams out in his own time. I had a nice home, I had a loving husband, and I had not one, not two, but three little children calling me “Mommy.”

When my youngest was about to start school I felt God calling me to volunteer at the Christian school my children attend. I can not begin to tell you the blessings that God has provided through that opportunity. I get to be with my own children each day while also ministering to many other children as well.

A few months ago, I felt God calling me to start this blog. I have always been told that I had the heart of a counselor, and to have the opportunity to help and encourage other people was something that I longed to do. I may not have a PhD behind my name, but I know I am where God has called me to be. I pray every day that I can be a blessing to those I come in contact with here.

My life right now feels like this vast open scene. My heart wants to take off running into the scenery, but I know I must trust God’s plan. This week I have realized that I need to wait for Him to lead. Yes,I will always be a dreamer. I still have dreams that I would like to pursue in the future, but I will not move until God tells me that it is time.

Just as my children would not make it very far venturing out into the great unknown by themselves, I too realize that without God leading, any dream I pursue, and any adventure I take will only leave me longing for home, for the comfort that can only come from being in the center of God’s will.

I believe that God is not finished with me yet. I believe that He still has great plans for my life. I want to listen for His voice, wait for His guidance, and to trust His results. I know that if I will do this, I will be successful in whatever it is that God has planned for my life.

Maybe you have found yourself in a similar place in life. Please, let me encourage you today:

If you have found yourself longing to run on ahead, I want to encourage you to wait on God. Do not stay behind when He tells you to move, but do not run ahead of the place He has called you to be.

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us:

  “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;

and lean not unto thine own understanding.  

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Trust God today, friend. He has great plans for your life.

God bless you.