When I Don’t Know What to Do
by Gail Rodgers
**Are you frustrated, at loose ends and don’t know what to do? Do you want us to pray for you? http://thelife.com/interactive/share.html
Megan had decisions to make that would affect her family and her career path. The pros and cons could be weighed either way and no clear-cut direction could be seen. She did not know what to do. Confusion and anxiousness weighed her down.
She received an unexpected note from a friend: “You are on my mind and in my prayers this week,” it said. “As I read my Bible today it seemed I should share this verse with you…”
“We are asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding…being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience …joyfully giving thanks to the Father” (Colossians 1:9-12).
Tears came to Megan’s eyes as she read these verses. God was assuring her He would fill her with the knowledge of His will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. Could she trust Him with the question marks of her life?
The Holy Spirit used this verse to renew Megan’s confidence that God would direct her. With new focus she began to commit each decision, each day to God.
As the month passed, Megan felt God truly directing her path and showing her His will through an understanding that she knew came from His heart. She felt herself being strengthened by God’s mighty power.
If you have a decision to make and don’t know which way to turn, ask God for spiritual wisdom and understanding. It goes beyond the pro and con lists we make for ourselves. His desire for you is to be fruitful and to grow in your knowledge of Him.
Give God the question mark you are searching out today and truly trust Him to guide you. Pray about every aspect of your decision. Keep God in the center of your focus and do not neglect reading His Word and asking Him to guide you through it. He will keep His word and will give you patience and endurance as you wait on Him.
~Father God, I don’t know what to do. I thank You for Your promise of guidance. Help me today to trust my future and my plans to You. Help me today to lean on Your patience and endurance. Lead me in paths that will bring growth in my knowledge of You. Give me spiritual wisdom and understanding that goes beyond my own thinking. I thank You in the strong name of Jesus, Amen.
Questions: How have you dealt with situations of having to make a decision but not knowing what to do? How can we be sure that God is directing our decision making?
About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/gail-rodgers/
pam i am so sorry about your husband. i am praying for you right now. i have not been getting comments so this is the first time i have seen this. bless you
sharon
Dear Pam, I am so very sorry to hear about your husband’s stroke, and your role as his sole caregiver! This can be very demanding, both physically and emotionally, and you need a network of support to assist and encourage you! Are you and your husband members of a church fellowship? If so, perhaps sharing your burden with the pastor might prompt him to invite the adult Sunday school classes to offer you assistance. Another option is respite care. This is available for caregivers to relieve some of the stress of continuous caregiving. Patients who require observation or assistance with activities of daily living are eligible, and it gives the caregiver a much-needed break. While your love for your husband fuels your dedication to him, dear Pam, you must care for yourself as well! And, may our Lord continue to be your strength and your hope! God bless, dear sister!
Precious Lord, we thank You that, while Your will sometimes includes very difficult paths for us, You are faithful to walk beside us, guiding our steps, lighting our path. We praise You for being ‘our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.’ (Ps 46:1) We thank You that when we are weak and discouraged, You offer us Your strength to press on. Tonight, Lord, we lift up our sister, Pam, to Your throneroom, asking for Your soothing Presence to surround her! Pour out Your grace upon her, Lord, that she would be refreshed by Your Spirit! Mobilize Your people, Lord, that they would come, offering relief and encouragement to Pam! Grant her Your wisdom in household decisions, Lord, and lead her to godly counsel as needed. May her faith be renewed as she puts her hope in You, her Rock and her Redeemer! In Your holy Name, Jesus, Amen!
Since my husband’s unexpected stroke left him disabled 2 yrs ago at the early age of 57, I have experienced many overwhelming times of not knowing what to do or having to make decisions without a husband’s guidance. I know that Jesus has filled in many gaps left by his stroke, but the loneliness, isolation, and sadness of a life that could have been sometimes overtake me as his sole caregiver. But Jesus is still Lord and I trust that he knows the future better than I.
[...] and He knows our future so we must always ask God for His guidance in everything we do. In the decisions that we make, we must always ask for His approval. To God be all the [...]
I wrote in my site this morning about confidence in God and i am happy that we are one in spirit. That in every decisions we make we should always turn to God . I have linked you to it so that my friends and family will be able to read from this also.
I thank God for your wisdom and may the Lord God continually bless you and your family as well.
You know, in Australia I received this email on Wednesday, the very day that I was offered a Supported Internship ftom the Department of Education, Training and the Arts at a Queensland school. I am in my final weeks of a Bachelor of Special Education and am in the process of applying for teaching positions. My big question has been where does God want me next year? Interestly, the place (a rural town Roma) is the very place that I first gave my heart to Jesus when I was five or six years old. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that this devotion, the offer and its placement could come at the same time. Please, Lord give me strength to follow you and please lead my decision to be the correct one, based on all the factors involved and your holy will for my life. Thank you in Jesus precious name, Amen.
Dear kanj, I am so thankful to hear that our Lord spoke to you through His Word this morning, and comforted you! He is faithful and true, and His peace is like a warm blanket on a frosty night! Your concern for your dear family member is understandable, but only the Lord can intercede and provide for your loved one at this time, so let’s take this to Him . . .
Gracious, heavenly Father, we know that Your eyes are ever upon Your children, watching us carefully and lovingly! Prone to wander, we can find ourselves in difficult situations, yet You have not left us nor forsaken us. You allow us to learn from our experiences, tenderly ministering to us as You shape us and mold us through them! Lord, today we ask for Your mercy and grace in kanj’s family circumstances. That a family member’s whereabouts is unknown is very unsettling, causing fearful speculations and anxiety for those who wait. May Your peace and comfort be upon them during this time of uncertainty, Lord! We ask for Your protection and sustaining grace to be poured out upon this missing loved one! If this relative does not know You, Lord, we ask for Your mercy upon him/her, that he/she will recognize the emptiness of life without You! Send someone, Lord, to minister to this precious soul in Your Name! Send angels to protect and direct to safety! Please bring this dear loved one home to the waiting arms and anxious hearts that await him/her! In the precious Name of Jesus, Amen!
Did you remember to click on the icon that links you up to get them?
Sometimes I send in a comment and forget to do this; so go back and click on it. Just a thot??
i have not been getting comments back from the blog not for several days
Amen Marilyn!
marilyn, in reading your response to andi, i find your ‘maturity’ in faith so comforting. i realize your post was to andi, but i felt it was directed at myself as i am now dealing with a crisis with a family member and in scripture this morning, i received guidance as well. thank you Lord for blessing of seeking counsel with other Christians such as marilyn.
this crisis is perhaps a life threatening one with this family member. their where-abouts is unknow at this time. and i have been struggling with not knowing what to do with what i know at this time(which is nothing). i am of no help if i am worrying so i prayed that Jesus take this worry from me today. it’s almost noon and i am still at a loss as to the saftey of this family member and yet i am so calm and serene about the whole situation. i know God is telling me to wait. my husband, God bless him, cannot understand why i won’t get any more involved. he is a Christian man, a good man, but sometimes…..thank you all for allowing me to seek solace in fellowship
thank you Kanj for the words you wrote to me in particular…I agree whole heartedly..
In the recent past there has been temptations that I turned away from..I discovered quickly that the temptations were the enemy’s way of trying to get to me..but as I turned away and kept focused on the real issues at hand, I soon was blessed with a feeling that God is indeed watching over me and taking His time so that I can see how important it is at this time in my life to not rush into anything.
I have been home from work for a week and a half with a back problem and during this time I have reconnected with my spiritual self in many ways..I know the important of listening and not just waiting for God’s answers…My patience is growing because of this and I thank you for sharing your own struggle..
This devotional is so special because we all at one time or another deal with these same issues..and it’s refreshing to hear from my sisters in Christ that we all are there for each other…warrriors together …
Be Blessed..
Andi, your approach to determining God’s will in an important decision is surely wise and biblical! Praying to God is foremost, but ‘listening’ to God is every bit as important! And, He speaks to us through His Word and His people! But seeking the counsel of ‘mature’ Christians (and by this, I mean mature in faith, not necessarily older) improves your chances of being offered wisdom from God’s perspective, rather than the psychology and philosophy of the world. As we tend to move forward with decisions when we ‘haven’t heard from God,’ we may be disregarding His “Wait,” or “No!” Until we have His peace about a decision, His will probably isn’t in place!
karen, good morning. i just read your post. this scripture has come to me this day and i would like to share it with you.
‘God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.’-1 Corithians 10:13 NIV
the Word tells me that God is faithful and He will provide a way for us, but He doesn’t always show us the way immediately. that’s where patience…(it is a struggle for myself as well) and trust. i’ve always heard that patience builds character. my problem is that i don’t always listen. so while you/ I /us are waiting, we can’t forget to enjoy the gift of life we haven been so graciously given.
I read a saying recently that went . . . “Patience with self is hope, patience with others is love, and patience with God is faith.” As many of you have shared about wanting more patience, I thought this might bless you! And, may He bless you, as well!
Asking for the prayers of the saints – our beloved pastor died 2 weeks ago and we are in a time of transition. I serve on our board and we face many decisions and want God’s best. Many are hurting, grieving and we want to continually point them to Jesus as He truly holds all the answers. (Sometimes I wonder when He will share them with us.)
Jan, know that I and I know all the ladies, here will be praying for you and marking this date on our calendars.
I assure you that the angiogram is a breeze and over before you know it……I know the waiting has to be difficult. I am thankful my wait was only about two days.
Dear Jesus, we lift Jan to You right this moment…asking that You calm her fears and still her soul. We ask that You will pour Your loving grace upon her this moment as she awaits her angiogram, the results and the surgery. Grant her surgeons Your wisdom and guide their hands. Lord, hold her tight during her recovery and may Your Holy presence fill her and illuminate through her to all that attend her. Give her nurses gentle hands….loving hands and skillful hands. Be their hands, Lord….and guide them….all through this time.
Lord, we praise You that You are the Great Physician and we can trust You in everything. Thank You for loving us so that You went to the Cross for each of us. Pour down Your Holy Spirit on all ladies here today and those who have been and are to come here to this devotion. Thank You for ministering to us, through the devotions and all who write on here and pray.
How we love You, Lord……….How we worship You and oh, how we Praise You…in all and through all things!
In Jesus Name….
I know what has to be done, I am to have this surgery, sometime in the future, open heart. I foind out on July 31 this year and my problem is the waiting. I am going to have an angiogram on Monday coming and meet with the docotr on Tuesday then I meet with the surgeon sometime????? My imagination is working overtime although most of the time especially during the day I am able to fill in my time with something. I have had my days filled in the past with the things i do like the newsletter for church the printing of it , the craft group which I am still part of , and there are other things that I have had to find others to do them. I just need PATIENCE.
Well, this one has come at a time of need for decisions for many of us, including me.
The question takes me back to the time we believed God was directing us to go to the mission field, outside Canada.
We fasted and prayed & read HIS word. Then we took a day off work to do it again, in separate rooms of the house. We wrote down what we felt was God’s answer to us. The wording was almost identical. Then we sought the wise counsel of some retired missionaries and then our Pastor and the Church Board as to what they saw in us and would they seek God on our behalf in light of this decision we felt we were to make. As well we spoke with our children and our elderly parents.
We took all the ‘wise counsel’ from all of God’s mature believer’s who had influence in our lives, spent time w/HIM in HIS word and were able to make a conscious decision that was well rounded as it was not based simply in our ‘feeling’ but was well tested & tried in every aspect of our lives.
I hope this helps someone who is trying to hear HIS voice for a big decision they may have to make.
This is the way we consider choices even today; Seek God first, seek godly wise counsel from those who are mature in HIM and who know us well, ‘test’ the choices before us and measure it according to what we know and have seen of HIS past leading and guidance in our lives, and then wait until we have consensus as a couple thru seeking HIM and HIS will.
I include this example hoping it will help all who are seeking HIM for answers.
I too extend the blessings of Jesus to everyone today! in love
Andi
Like you Sheila, I felt this message was directly for me as I am facing decisions myself in my life now and am tormented by not knowing what to do..but this devoitonal has shed some light on what I need to work on..and one is patience..
In waiting for God to answer us or direct us, it is often the most difficult thing to do..have patience..but I will work hard and diligently to be more patient and allow God’s guidance and wisdom infiltrate my soul today..
Lord, you have blessed us all with your words today and given us all another chance to show you that Your will is what we all seek in our lives..Shower us with the patience we need to endure the step by step instruction that you so willingly give us to make our lives more fulfulling to You..
In His Name, I thank all the women who read this devotional today and know that God is with us always..
May you be blessed..
Dear Gail, I honestly believe your devotional today was God’s letter to me. The timing and subject matter could not have been any more perfect, and I thank you for allowing Him to speak through you.
Patti, I pray that God will guide your steps and whatever decision you must make, and may He give you His peace.
June, I love your comment about letting Jesus replace our question marks with His wisdom and guidance!
Blessings to all! :)
good morning to all,
i pray that all those moms and dads have survived the stress of pre-new school year. thank you gail for this devotional this morning. the scripture of Colossians made me realize that I will indeed have great endurance and patience. i pray constantly for the Holy Spirt to use me in understanding this transformation, this wonderful salvation that I have been blessed to receive from God. when I was not a child in Christ, self esteem alone was so low that even the thought that God actually loved me seemed so far beyond what I could comprehend. I do indeed have a decision to make that will bring me closer to God, but it’s a decision that requires more than thinking with the mind. I sometimes feel my mind is lost in a maze of confusion, then i quickly think it’s not. I know it’s time to give up the mind of the flesh and switch to operating in the mind of Christ. I know victory is waiting. I used to have a ‘wish-bone, i wish i knew what to do, i wish i knew the answer, i wish i knew where to search for the answer. today, i no longer have a ‘wish bone’, with God’s grace I have a ‘back bone’. I read devotion each and every morning and before bed. last night’s devotional read the following scripture: ”We have the mind of Christ(the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts(feelings and purposes) of His heart.”-1 Corinthians 2:16
i pray everyone have a victorious day today
I am facing a question right now in my life. It is a difficult one and I truly do not know what the Lord wants me to do.
Lord, help me to make the right decision in Your timing…not mine. Open the right doors and close those that are not right at this time. Illuminate my path, Lord…and speak to me boldly..
In Jesus Name
Amen
Thank you Jesus for taking my question mark today and replacing it with your wisdom and guidance! I love you!!
Ladies, may you all feel the “joy” of His many blessings today!!
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we professed, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23