I'm afraid I'm one of the most indecisive people you'll ever meet. After several years, I think I finally have my order down at Chipotle, but boy, it took me a long time:
- Burrito or burrito bowl?
- Brown rice or white?
- Pinto or black beans?
- Chicken, carnitas, barbacoa, or steak?
- Hot or mild salsa?
- Cheese?
- Lettuce?
- Sour cream?
- Guacamole for an extra $1.75? (That one's easy—of course!)
Take a really important decision, though (one even more important than what I'll eat for lunch), throw in the fact that I want to please God and know His will, and it can get overwhelming fast.
That's why I love this excerpt from Choosing by Nancy Leigh DeMoss (co-author of Lies Young Women Believe: And the Truth That Sets Them Free).
Did you know that God straight up tells us what His will is? I'll let Nancy explain:
I hear from a lot of people who want to know how to know the will of God for their lives, especially when it comes to major, life-ordering decisions. We all find ourselves at times needing and seeking His guidance on matters as big and potentially confusing as college, career, and marriage choices.
But interestingly, when you go to the Scripture for insight on the will of God, you don't find a lot about things to do, places to go, or people to meet. That's because God's will is not so much a place, a job, or a specific mate as it is a heart and a lifestyle. What you do find in the Word, however, are a few clear statements in regard to what the will of God is—not just for you, not just for me, but for all of us.
And one of them is gratitude. "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thess. 5:18).
Sure, details matter to God. The specifics of what church to attend, what house to write a contract on, what position to apply for, and maybe even what hotel to stay at on vacation are decisions He gives us wisdom to make as we seek Him and walk in line with the principles of His Word.
But live long enough, and you find that the choices only change by year and color. A decision that's huge today usually shrinks in hindsight, replaced by yet another batch of options that fit whatever stage of life we're currently in. That's when you discover that the will of God is a whole lot bigger and broader than fine-print details and exact measurements. Instead, it's characterized by a handful of simple constants that overshadow our specific questions and our appeals for direction.
In other words, you may find yourself a lot closer to hearing God's heart on a certain time-sensitive matter not by making pro-and con-lists or anguishing between multiple options, but simply by doing what you already know to be His will.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. When faced with perplexing circumstances, when you don't know what to do or which way to go, be grateful—and you'll find yourself right in the middle of His will.
How about it? If you're overwhelmed with a big decision right now—or even if you're not—will you write three things below that you're grateful for?
Me, I'm grateful for:
1) You
2) Fat Chipotle burritos, and
3) A God who doesn't hide His will from us, but communicates clearly in His Word—beginning with telling us to give thanks in all circumstances!
No rocket science there!
