How to Know God’s Will When You Don’t Know What to Do
Part Three: Trusting God One Step at a Time
Editor’s note: How do you know God’s will when you don’t know what to do? Whether you’re deciding about a job, relationship, move, ministry opportunity or another major life decision, the Bible offers clear principles for seeking God’s direction. When you’ve prayed, searched Scripture and still aren’t sure which path to take, God’s Word shows how Christians can seek wisdom, recognize His guidance and trust Him one step at a time.
Over the past two months, we’ve discovered that knowing God’s will begins with knowing God Himself. Before asking, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” we must first ask, “Lord, who do You want me to become?” We’ve also seen that one of the primary ways God guides His children is through His Word. Much of God’s will has already been revealed in Scripture, and our responsibility is to faithfully obey what He has already made clear.
But what about those decisions that aren’t specifically answered in the Bible? How do we know whether to take a particular job, move to another city or step into a new ministry opportunity? What do we do when we’ve prayed, searched the Scriptures and still don’t know which direction to take?
This is where many Christians become anxious. We worry about making the wrong decision or somehow missing God’s perfect plan. Yet the Bible repeatedly shows us that God is fully capable of leading His children, and He often does so one step at a time.
One of my favorite examples is found in the life of Philip in Acts chapter 8. This chapter contains an account of Philip and an Ethiopian official who was traveling home from Jerusalem while reading the prophet Isaiah. Philip eventually explained the Scriptures to him, leading the man to faith in Christ and baptism. It is a wonderful story of God’s heart for those seeking Him.
What often captures my attention, however, is not simply the conversation between Philip and the Ethiopian. It is how God directed Philip to that divine appointment. The Lord first instructed Philip to go south to a desert road. That was all he knew. God didn’t explain why He was sending him there or who he would meet along the way. Philip simply obeyed.
After Philip arrived, the Holy Spirit gave him another instruction: “Go over and join that chariot.” Again, there were very few details. God didn’t reveal the entire plan before asking Philip to take the first step. Instead, He revealed His will one act of obedience at a time.
Because Philip obeyed each step as it came, he found himself sitting beside a man who was searching the Scriptures and ready to hear the gospel. That encounter would ultimately change the Ethiopian’s life forever.
I find that incredibly encouraging because this is often how God leads us as well. We would love for Him to hand us a detailed blueprint for the next five or 10 years. We want every answer before we take the first step. God’s pattern is often different. He gives enough direction for today’s obedience, then provides the next step when the time is right.
Abraham’s life illustrates this same principle. Genesis 12 records God’s call for Abram to leave his country, his relatives and everything familiar to him. God didn’t spread out a map and explain every stop along the journey. He simply said, “Go to the land I will show you.”
Notice those last few words. “I will show you.” Scripture tells us, “So Abram went.”
That simple statement has always challenged me. Abraham didn’t have all the answers. He didn’t know every detail of the future. He simply trusted the God who did. That kind of faith is not always easy. If you’re anything like me, you enjoy having a plan. I like lists, calendars and knowing what’s coming next. There is something comforting about feeling prepared. Yet following Christ often requires us to exchange certainty for trust.
We naturally want to know God’s entire plan before we obey. Often, He asks us to obey before He reveals the next part. That requires patience and faith.
Waiting has never been one of my strengths, but I’ve learned that waiting is rarely wasted in God’s economy. During seasons when the next step isn’t yet clear, God is often doing important work within us. He is strengthening our faith, teaching us dependence, and reminding us that our confidence rests in Him, not in our ability to predict the future.
Instead of becoming frustrated while we wait, Scripture gives us plenty to do. We can cultivate thankful hearts. First Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Gratitude has a way of shifting our focus from what we don’t know to what we do know—that God is faithful.
We can continue serving. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared in advance for us to do. While we’re waiting for clarity about tomorrow, there are countless opportunities to serve Christ today.
There are neighbors to love, people to encourage, ministries to support and lives to invest in.
We can pursue holiness. First Thessalonians 4:3 tells us plainly, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified.” Even while we are uncertain about a future decision, we can be completely certain that God desires our spiritual growth today.
And we can continue praying. Jeremiah 33:3 invites us to call on the Lord, and James 1:5 promises that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.
Sometimes we become so consumed with trying to discover God’s future plan that we neglect the opportunities He has already placed right in front of us. Rather than sitting on the sidelines waiting for perfect clarity, God calls us to faithfully use the gifts, abilities and experiences He has already given us. As we serve Him where we are, He often opens doors we never could have anticipated.
I’ve also discovered that not every decision carries the same spiritual weight. Some choices are matters of wisdom and preference rather than right and wrong. As a high school senior, I had to choose between attending the University of Oklahoma or accepting a theater scholarship to Tyler Junior College. There wasn’t a Bible verse telling me which school to attend. Neither option was sinful, and God could have used either one in my life. I chose Tyler Junior College, and God used those years to help me grow spiritually. This was a decision between two permissible paths, not between obedience and sin.
And yes, there have certainly been times when I’ve made decisions that, looking back, I wish I had handled differently. The encouraging truth is that our God is all-powerful and fully capable of redirecting His children if needed. One principle that has often helped me is this: when you realize you’ve gotten off course, go back to the last thing you clearly believe God led you to do.
Instead of continuing down the wrong path, return to the place where you last knew you were walking in obedience. From there, trust Him to direct your next step. God delights in leading His children, and His grace is always greater than our mistakes.
Another gift God provides when we’re making important decisions is the wisdom of other believers. Throughout Scripture, we are reminded that we were never intended to navigate life alone. Proverbs repeatedly emphasizes the value of wise counsel. Proverbs 11:14 tells us, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 15:22 adds, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”
Those verses have proven true in my own life. Several years ago, I faced one of the biggest ministry decisions I had ever made—leaving Campus Crusade for Christ, now known as Cru, after 23 years of ministry. This wasn’t a decision I wanted to make in isolation. Before moving forward, I sought the counsel of trusted Christian leaders who knew me well, loved me enough to tell me the truth and based their advice on Scripture rather than emotion.
Those conversations were invaluable. They didn’t make the decision for me, but they helped me see things I couldn’t see on my own. They asked good questions, challenged my thinking where needed, affirmed what God appeared to be doing, and prayed with me throughout the process.
If mature believers who know you well and know God’s Word express concern about a direction you’re considering, don’t become defensive. Slow down. Pray. Listen carefully. God may be using those trusted voices to protect you from a decision you would later regret.
As I think back to the foggy morning drive I shared at the beginning of this series, I’m reminded again how much I wanted to see farther down the road. I would have loved to know every curve, every hill, and every mile that lay ahead. But I didn’t need to. I simply needed enough light for the next few feet. That’s often how God leads His children.
His guidance is much like using a GPS. When you enter your destination, it doesn’t announce every turn all at once. Instead, it tells you exactly what you need to know at the right moment.
“Turn right in 500 feet.”
“Stay in the left lane.”
“Take the next exit.”
One instruction at a time.
God’s guidance reaches far beyond any GPS.
Through His Word, His Holy Spirit, prayer and wise counsel, He faithfully leads His children one step at a time. Even when we stumble or take a wrong turn, His grace is greater than our mistakes. He lovingly redirects us as we return to Him and continue walking by faith.
You can know God’s will because you belong to a perfect Shepherd who knows exactly how to lead His sheep, even when your own decisions are imperfect.
Reflect
Is there a decision you’ve been hesitating to make because you’re waiting for God to reveal the entire plan? Ask Him today to help you trust Him with the next faithful step. Then take that step in obedience, knowing that He promises to lead those who draw near to Him.
