Following God’s Will when I don’t understand it
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One of the most difficult concepts I’ve encountered in my walk with the Lord is following God’s Will when I don’t understand it. Logically speaking, shouldn’t life make sense? I mean, our brains are wired with a system of checks and balances. We are physically created with lefts and rights. Symmetry makes the world go round and yet…
What happens when I believe God is whispering to my heart to do something that I can’t wrap my head around?
The gap between my head and heart is much more than 12 inches in this case; it seems they exist an eternity away from each other.
And they do.
You see, God did not give us the ability to understand everything He does. Isaiah tells us that His ways are higher than our ways. We cannot physically comprehend all that God does and why He does things the way He does them. Yet often, we live in a frustrated state of asking God why and arguing with him about the means.
Since the spring, I’ve had three words floating around in my mind regarding my obedience on his path. This path to trusting Him fully is back to the basics- the 3 R’s, if you will. No, they are not reading, writing and arithmetic.
The first stage I’ve encountered in trying to follow what I believe God would have me to do is not easy. In fact, many Christians don’t make it past this step because it doesn’t feel safe and we can’t see what things look like up ahead. This stage is one called:
RISKING
That’s right, to trust someone, anyone, even God, you are taking a risk. You are risking that this whisper of the Holy Spirit to your heart is real. That God is alive and at work in your life even though you can’t see him. That He is everywhere and everything, but you cannot touch him. That by faith, you have trusted him for salvation and by faith, you are believing that he is leading you to do something.
I don’t know what your “something” is. But I certainly know what mine has been and what it is currently. Risk requires placing all your security and faith somewhere other than yourself. And this is where the risk is totally worth it. Because the risk you are taking is not a risk after all. You are placing your security and faith in the God of universe who loves everything about you. He created you and his relationship with you is the safest one you could ever have.
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:4
The second phase of believing God has a plan for your life and is guiding you each step of the way is:
RELEASING
This is the letting go phase. I decide, you decide, we decide that not only are we going to take the risk and make the move we feel impressed to make, but we are going to risk it all. Maybe we’ve had enough of what the world is offering and the decision to place everything in his hands is the only choice left other than continuing to bear the burden alone. This point of following God is giving God the last dollar in the bank when we don’t know where the next one is coming from. Or laying a child on the altar as Abraham did. Maybe it’s moving to another city, far away from homeland, as Joseph was required to do. Perhaps the release is a relationship gone sour, a broken heart, or an incurable disease. No matter the item or issue, the release is giving to the Almighty. It’s a stance with open palms before the Savior indicating that my hands no longer grasp for what cannot satisfy.
Releasing my grasp of all that appears logical allows the grip of God to become most real to me.
Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19
And that is when I am blessed to enter the third phase of following His plan and process.
REJOICING
You see, if we never take the risk, if we never consider that He who saved us wants to redeem us, if we never release our lives to him and obey him, then we miss the rejoicing phase. The opportunity of joy flooding our souls that began with a small step of obedience is never ours. The overflowing happiness is enjoyed when we simply trust and believe that God is who He says He is and He is going to keep his word because he has never failed to do so.
The God who is taking us to Heaven wants to use us on this earth.
for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Phil 2:13
No, it is not logical.
It is love.
Rachel
This post is definitely an encouragement and reminder. I have been married 3.5 yrs, and we dated 3.5 years prior. On June 6th, my husband told me he wasn’t happy and didn’t know if we could work things out. It has been very difficult to understand how my husband is willing to just walk away when he never said anything was wrong before that day. In the first couple of weeks, he came back and apologized twice and said he wanted to work things out. The first time he said he was sorry for hurting me, and that he wanted to make sure we gave our marriage a chance. The second time, he said it wasn’t our marriage, but him. I have been on an emotional roller coaster and very confused. He had been texting a female from work a lot, but said nothing was going on; we got in arguments about it, and he ended up moving out. He was a Marine for 5 years, and he does have some PTSD. He is just confused. He says he doesn’t know if he loves me or wants to be married. Even though we are both Christians, we didn’t make God our top priority because it seemed that we had everything under control as we are both are successful in our careers. I am rebuilding my relationship with God and going to biblical counseling, but he is very resistant. He did go to one session of biblical counseling last week by himself to appease me, but doesn’t know if he will go back. I also prayed to God in the beginning for some kind of sign/message at church that would be applicable to us. The pastor started a sermon on Singleness, Sex, Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. My husband went the first week, but has been resistant since. I know I need to trust God and give Him my marriage and situation with my husband, but it is so hard when I am hurting and have no control over the big decisions in my life. I would appreciate prayers. If there are any books/devotionals or any kind of recommendations, that would also be helpful to keep me busy and not sitting around thinking about all of the what ifs. It is hard to understand why all this is happening when God doesn’t like divorce, but I know we have a free will. I am just praying my husband comes home. I know I can forgive him and move on, even though it will be difficult.
Deb- my heart goes out to you in this tough, tough situation. Jesus, I pray that you would give this couple the ability to see your work in their lives. We know you are the redeemer and healer and that you breathe life into love. Please shower your mercy and grace over their situation and we pray that the enemy would not see success, but would fail at destroying this marriage. Deb, I’m going to pray for you more… I wanted to share this prayer with you: https://rachelwojo.com/a-prayer-for-when-you-feel-like-giving-up-on-marriage/
Thank you, that really touched my heart. Thanks for the encouragement to keep fighting for my marriage, and the prayer to cry out to God when I feel like I just can’t go on. There are a lot of scriptures that come to mind about trusting God, and Him not giving me more than I can bear, so I am holding on to those promises. Please continue to pray for me and my husband.
Sure will, Deb!
I saw you email yesterday, and put it off and decided to read today.
I have been going thorugh alot of changes currently in my life and i have so many questions as to what God’s will is for me and where He wants me to be, but no can seem to answer my question when I do ask “How do I know what God’s will is for my life”, I was given answers that confused me even more, like study the New Testament and you will get your answer.
I have been doing alot of thinking too, as to what I need to change and what I would like to do, I guess one should stop talking and start taking action about it.
And your post has just helped realise that I need to Risk and Release to get my Rejoice. It is tough and I know it is what needs to be done, and this is part where I give it all unto the Lord.
Allowing Him to take control and to allow myself to be at peace.
I thank you for your encouragement.
May God continue to bless you and your work and that He may continue to use you to spread His word.
*2 Chron 30:9*
“The Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn His face from you”
What a beautiful testimony, Melany. I can’t wait to hear what he does in your life. Blessings to you!
Thank you so much for this. I’ve recently been feeling called to find a new job and career… and have NO idea where to look or what to do. This post reminded me that I don’t have to know, I have to trust. This was so timely, thank you for being a vessel.
prayers going up for your new adventure!
Thank you so much for this! I really needed it!
This is oh so true Rachel and boy have I been here!!!
But what a beautiful place to be, a place where the impossible becomes possible and were the undreamt becomes reality. This is the realm of testimonies – HalleluYAH!!! Ironically we find that the more we sumbit and risk the less it becomes a problem to do so since we have already tasted victory before.
amen Sister. Amen.
Beautiful!
Thank you for you timely message this morning! Tonight I will finish a Bible study group of Jonah……this brought it full circle for me! Thank you for your obedience for many are blessed by it!
Blessings, Revonda.