How to Make Spirit-Led Decisions in Uncertain Times
While we know that Earth is only our temporary home, we’ll all face times of uncertainty in this world. Feeling confused or worried is a natural reaction when facing unforeseen circumstances. With COVID-19 continuing to spread, many of us face new challenges like schools deciding to reopen or stay closed, economic instability, keeping our kids safe, financial troubles, or jobs, and the unsureness of the future. Whatever the case may be, it is paramount that we look to the Lord to help us make correct choices during these times.
Let’s take a look at three things the Bible tells us to do when navigating uncertainty:
1. Pray.
God speaks to us in a whisper when we give Him our eyes and ears. I have never personally heard God’s audible voice, but I often feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit on my heart directing me. The more time I spend in prayer and in God’s Word, the more I hear the Holy Spirit prompting my heart and helping me to discern God’s will.
Philippians 4:6 tells us not to worry about anything, but pray about everything. Jesus often spent time privately praying to the Father, and we should follow His example. He wants to hear our troubles. We can take Paul’s words here literally. There is no reason for us to worry. Instead, lay your troubles at the feet of the Lord in prayer. When we worry, it shows that our faith is weak and we are not trusting that God has this and will take care of us, even as He teaches us through our trials and difficult times.
Paul then instructs us to tell God what we need. It is not selfish to ask the Lord for what you need. God knows what is on our hearts, but still wants us to talk to Him. That is how you build a personal relationship with Him. Also, remember to be thankful, and like the end of the verse says, thank Him for all that He has done. God answers all our prayers with a Yes, No, or Wait. Even if you don’t receive an exact answer concerning your questions and desires, prayer is a form of worship that strengthens our faith and reliance on God, which is crucial for getting through each adversity as a more fulfilled individual and building your personal relationship with the Lord. Sometimes God wants us to wait to teach us patience or to keep us from another harm. Most importantly, we should always end our prayers with something along the lines of “These are my requests, but Your will be done.” That is exactly how Jesus prayed to the Father when He asked if there was another way rather than the gruesome death He was about to endure: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
2. Don’t Do it Alone.
Throughout the Bible, the Christian life is often referred to as a race. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us to meet together and encourage each other. When you think of a marathon, something that may come to mind are the fans standing on the sideline, cheering on their family and friends. We need to do the same with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Life gets hard, and we do not have what it takes to live a life of righteousness by ourselves. Lifting up fellow believers strengthens their faith as well as our own and increases our spiritual endurance. We do not have to run this race alone. When you are struggling to make a Godly choice, seek wise counsel from other believers. At the beginning of creation, God made Eve, because He did not want Adam to be alone. This is true for us today, in terms of family and friendship. The same Holy Spirit that lives in you lives in every other believer on this earth. Allow those you trust to speak life to you.
3. Take up your Cross.
1 John 2:15-17 commands us here not to love the world but to instead love God and His better ways of life for us. Difficult decisions are not always popular. There could be people, even if they are close to you, who disagree with your course of action. I can guarantee this will happen to every believer at some point in their life. We must remember that pleasing the Father and being obedient to what He tells us is much more important than pleasing people. This is what it means to take up our cross: obeying Christ no matter what choices or opportunities are presented to us.
Don’t be so hard on yourself if you are worried about making the right choice. Learning to walk by the Spirit is a lifelong process that improves with time, and even when we falter and do the wrong thing, God’s grace is there and His mercies are new every morning to help us do better next time. Lift your eyes to Christ and rely on the Holy Spirit for wisdom and truth when you must make difficult decisions during times of uncertainty. The Word tells us how to navigate these times; it is up to us to live by it.