How do you know whether to wait for God or act, regarding important decisions?

[roxvv]

Does anyone have anything to say about this? My feelings on the matter are really hard to separate from the truth. I can’t tell the difference between waiting for God, and stalling. And the opposing end of that, rushing to control the situation.

What does waiting for God even mean? How do you know the difference between whether He wants you to wait or to move? And what if you don’t feel a push to do either?

 

[ResidentAlien]

What I usually do, if it's a very important decision, is tell God I don't feel like I have clear guidance on this, so I'm going to do what I think is best and ask His help. I also pray that if it's not His will, make it impossible for me to go through with it. Don't let fear stop you, but if He puts up an impenetrable road block, then I wouldn't do it.

 

[roxvv]

What I usually do, if it's a very important decision, is tell God I don't feel like I have clear guidance on this, so I'm going to do what I think is best and ask His help. I also pray that if it's not His will, make it impossible for me to go through with it. Don't let fear stop you, but if He puts up an impenetrable road block, then I wouldn't do it.

But what if you’re the road block? Like for example, hypothetically speaking, say that all your life you wanted to defend people, get justice, and become a lawyer. But when it comes time to go to law school, you feel that your mental health simply won’t survive it. You watch everyone else pass by, get into law school, pass the bar, etc, and you feel you should be able to do that too, but you know that you can’t because you struggle with the discipline needed to get the work done, the confidence needed to not be afraid to say what you think, and the endurance to endure possibly stressful situations. Then what? Continuing to wait would become stalling but you feel that real resistance there every time you try at it. So what do you do then?

 

[ResidentAlien]

But what if you’re the road block? Like for example, hypothetically speaking, say that all your life you wanted to defend people, get justice, and become a lawyer. But when it comes time to go to law school, you feel that your mental health simply won’t survive it. You watch everyone else pass by, get into law school, pass the bar, etc, and you feel you should be able to do that too, but you know that you can’t because you struggle with the discipline needed to get the work done, the confidence needed to not be afraid to say what you think, and the endurance to endure possibly stressful situations. Then what? Continuing to wait would become stalling but you feel that real resistance there every time you try at it. So what do you do then?

It sounds like you've answered your own question. You know you don't have what it would take to be happy in that profession; and you have an understanding of what you'd be in for if you went down that path, that's great insight. Are you getting pressure form others to be a lawyer? There are a lot of other ways to help people. Have you thought about nursing?

 

[p_rehbein]

For me only possibly: First; I pray for God's guidance and wisdom. This is important because even though we might sincerely desire a particular path, goal, whatever, God knows what is best for us and what isn't. We do not always know.

However, if I believe God that if we are seeking a particular goal, waiting for God to perform some miracle to allow us to achieve that goal can result in our failure to. Reason being: even when we have full faith in God being able to bless us with something, we are also required to do our part (IMO).

This may not help or apply to your situation, but, for me, it is how I "wait on God" to act. The hardest part is realizing that our timing is not God's timing.

 

[dkontner]

I wish I 100% had the answer to your question.

 

[roxvv]

It sounds like you've answered your own question. You know you don't have what it would take to be happy in that profession; and you have an understanding of what you'd be in for if you went down that path, that's great insight. Are you getting pressure form others to be a lawyer? There are a lot of other ways to help people. Have you thought about nursing?

No lol I didn’t mean I wanted to become a lawyer I was trying to give a hypothetical situation. So in your opinion you would say that if you seem to be the roadblock in your situation, that it’s wisest to steer away from it? But then I would ask you what do you think is considered “good” pressure? Like a healthy challenge? Not trying to debate you, I agree with you, i’m just curious.

 

[passion84god]

Does anyone have anything to say about this? My feelings on the matter are really hard to separate from the truth. I can’t tell the difference between waiting for God, and stalling. And the opposing end of that, rushing to control the situation.

What does waiting for God even mean? How do you know the difference between whether He wants you to wait or to move? And what if you don’t feel a push to do either?

All that I can say is that this perfectly describes the situation that I now find myself in. I wish that I knew the answer. I don't. I do pray continually though, and I trust that God will lead me somehow.

 

[Cameron143]

Read Proverbs 3:5-6.

Many times in life we are not given a clear path forward. We need not despair. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is still at these times leading and guiding us. When I don't have clear guidance, I get counsel and move forward in that direction. I trust that the Lord is leading and remain ready God to change direction.

Following the truth of Proverbs 3 is meant to bring peace. If God is leading, we will always get to where He is leading.

 

[Watchman22]

Does anyone have anything to say about this? My feelings on the matter are really hard to separate from the truth. I can’t tell the difference between waiting for God, and stalling. And the opposing end of that, rushing to control the situation.

What does waiting for God even mean? How do you know the difference between whether He wants you to wait or to move? And what if you don’t feel a push to do either?

I guess the first question is what's more important.
For me my faith or my surrendered life is the most important thing. So in a situation like yours i would have used it as an opportunity to show God i really have surrendered my life and will to Him.

The way I've done this is to take my desire out of the equation completely. I do this by flipping a coin, one side one possibility and the other side the other possibility. I use a penny and when I flip it and see the results, I push forward with whatever result happened.

This shows God that I would rather trust Him with flipping a coin, than execute what I want. Pray first, ask Him to express His will in the coin, and trust the results completely.

 

[roxvv]

All that I can say is that this perfectly describes the situation that I now find myself in. I wish that I knew the answer. I don't. I do pray continually though, and I trust that God will lead me somehow.

I like to think of that part in Acts where the Holy Spirit stopped Paul from going somewhere, but there’s so much context missing from that part. Like how is that supposed to feel? how would I ever know if the resistance was from the Holy Spirit or from me? But even after the Holy Spirit forbade him from going that way, He set him on another path to follow, but what if you’re not feeling there to be a strong alternative path? Glad to know im not the only one, thought I was losing it.

 

[Watchman22]

Does anyone have anything to say about this? My feelings on the matter are really hard to separate from the truth. I can’t tell the difference between waiting for God, and stalling. And the opposing end of that, rushing to control the situation.

What does waiting for God even mean? How do you know the difference between whether He wants you to wait or to move? And what if you don’t feel a push to do either?

And one of the most important aspects of our relationship with Him, always do these intimate parts of the relationship in secret, just between you and Him.

Your the first person I've ever told this to.

 

[roxvv]

I guess the first question is what's more important.
For me my faith or my surrendered life is the most important thing. So in a situation like yours i would have used it as an opportunity to show God i really have surrendered my life and will to Him.

The way I've done this is to take my desire out of the equation completely. I do this by flipping a coin, one side one possibility and the other side the other possibility. I use a penny and when I flip it and see the results, I push forward with whatever result happened.

This shows God that I would rather trust Him with flipping a coin, than execute what I want. Pray first, ask Him to express His will in the coin, and trust the results completely.

But I would like to counter this idea kindly because I feel that letting a coin decide for you ultimately doesn’t fix the problem with indecisiveness.

I think the coin is a good way to decide over small decisions so you don’t waste more time than necessary, but for the big decisions, God gives us wisdom, and i’m certain He also wants us to trust the wisdom that He’s given us to decide what’s best for our lives.

But my issue is that sometimes things aren’t quite that binary, both situations could have real pros and real cons, and that’s where the indecision comes in that you can’t necessarily determine with a coin because they’re big, possibly life altering decisions.

 

[Watchman22]

But I would like to counter this idea kindly because I feel that letting a coin decide for you ultimately doesn’t fix the problem with indecisiveness.

I think the coin is a good way to decide over small decisions so you don’t waste more time than necessary, but for the big decisions, God gives us wisdom, and i’m certain He also wants us to trust the wisdom that He’s given us to decide what’s best for our lives.

But my issue is that sometimes things aren’t quite that binary, both situations could have real pros and real cons, and that’s where the indecision comes in that you can’t necessarily determine with a coin because they’re big, possibly life altering decisions.

Thats the beauty of the process i presented to you.
I only do this with the big decisions, not the little ones. I use wisdom for the little decisions and the process of the coin for the life altering ones. Giving Him the opportunity to guide me completely.

And if for some reason I've done this in error, ive errored on the side of caution.

 

[ResidentAlien]

No lol I didn’t mean I wanted to become a lawyer I was trying to give a hypothetical situation. So in your opinion you would say that if you seem to be the roadblock in your situation, that it’s wisest to steer away from it? But then I would ask you what do you think is considered “good” pressure? Like a healthy challenge? Not trying to debate you, I agree with you, i’m just curious.

Only you can decide for yourself what is a healthy challenge and what's unhealthy pressure. In my opinion, a big part of wisdom is in knowing the difference between what you think you can do and what you can actually do. In our culture, people are taught they can do anything they set their mind to; but that's simply not true and leads a lot of people down the path of frustration and unhappiness. Ecclesiastes 5:18 says:

"Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life."​

Not everyone's lot in life is the same. What might be a healthy challenge for me might seem like unhealthy pressure for you. So I guess my answer would be it's something you'll have to work out between you and God. He's the best teacher anyway.

 

[passion84god]

Glad to know im not the only one, thought I was losing it.

Don't get too happy. We might be losing it together. I will try to give you a more serious answer later.

 

[Watchman22]

But I would like to counter this idea kindly because I feel that letting a coin decide for you ultimately doesn’t fix the problem with indecisiveness.

I think the coin is a good way to decide over small decisions so you don’t waste more time than necessary, but for the big decisions, God gives us wisdom, and i’m certain He also wants us to trust the wisdom that He’s given us to decide what’s best for our lives.

But my issue is that sometimes things aren’t quite that binary, both situations could have real pros and real cons, and that’s where the indecision comes in that you can’t necessarily determine with a coin because they’re big, possibly life altering decisions.

Of course the act of faith I'm presenting to you would only work if your continually surrendering your life and will over to Him daily, the foundation of what faithing in Him is.

 

[Suze]

But what if you’re the road block? Like for example, hypothetically speaking, say that all your life you wanted to defend people, get justice, and become a lawyer. But when it comes time to go to law school, you feel that your mental health simply won’t survive it. You watch everyone else pass by, get into law school, pass the bar, etc, and you feel you should be able to do that too, but you know that you can’t because you struggle with the discipline needed to get the work done, the confidence needed to not be afraid to say what you think, and the endurance to endure possibly stressful situations. Then what? Continuing to wait would become stalling but you feel that real resistance there every time you try at it. So what do you do then?

Yes , as someone else has said , there r so very many ways in which people can help each other , if that is your desire then all u need to do is talk to God and ask Him to show u the way and He absolutely will and , He will make sure that u recognise His will . It's about trusting Him . His understanding and timing r absolutely perfect . B patient and trust Him . He will put u where u r supposed to b .

 

[Mreal402]

Does anyone have anything to say about this? My feelings on the matter are really hard to separate from the truth. I can’t tell the difference between waiting for God, and stalling. And the opposing end of that, rushing to control the situation.

What does waiting for God even mean? How do you know the difference between whether He wants you to wait or to move? And what if you don’t feel a push to do either?

Just a thought, perhaps this is a most opportune time to use the gift of a fast; such a spiritual discipline is designed to allow one to focus entirely upon God for a period of time - offering yourself as a vessel before your Lord in a position of surrender and focus.

 

[lrs68]

But what if you’re the road block? Like for example, hypothetically speaking, say that all your life you wanted to defend people, get justice, and become a lawyer. But when it comes time to go to law school, you feel that your mental health simply won’t survive it. You watch everyone else pass by, get into law school, pass the bar, etc, and you feel you should be able to do that too, but you know that you can’t because you struggle with the discipline needed to get the work done, the confidence needed to not be afraid to say what you think, and the endurance to endure possibly stressful situations. Then what? Continuing to wait would become stalling but you feel that real resistance there every time you try at it. So what do you do then?

Become a paralegal and get involved with the research and presentation side while observing court room litigation and see if you feel that you can step into the next role and try to pass the bar.