The Way God Leads

When discerning the Lord’s direction in your life, you need the mind of God. It’s not looking for a feeling, but rather asking God for the wisdom of knowing His will. Wisdom begins with God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” God promises wisdom to those who ask. But there is one source to knowing truth, that is the Word of God. In Proverbs 3, we learn three things we must do in order for God to lead in our lives: Trust in the LORD, Acknowledge the LORD, and Fear the LORD.

The Bible says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). We must simply trust the Lord to lead us. But God will only lead His children. As the Psalmist says, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” He must personally know us as His sheep if He will lead our path. A Shepherd leads by his voice. The Good Shepherd speaks, and his sheep listen and follow Him. The good news is He goes before us. What a comfort to know that Jesus already knows where we are going. Whatever we encounter, He has already experienced. We must trust him “with all our heart”. God requires total reliance on His leadership. This means we are wholly following the Lord by faith. We may not understand, and our minds might not comprehend what God is doing. But to simply know that God is at the helm of the ship and will lead us safely through the stormy seas should calm our heart. Trust in the Lord today without reservation.

Secondly, the Bible says in Proverbs 3:6, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” God will give direction if we give Him the opportunity to speak. But we must acknowledge His authority each step of the way. God leads through three specific ways: His Word - the Holy Bible, Godly counsel, and unfolding circumstances. God is certain to give peace to His child that trusts in Him. But sometimes we have to wait for God’s leading: He is not in a hurry. There is strength found when we rest in the Lord. Acknowledge God in every decision. Give Him opportunity to work. Let God open and close doors. If you are trying to work out your future, then most likely you are not letting God lead. To acknowledge the Lord, means to be willing to yield to His way in His time.

Lastly, Proverbs 3:7 says, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” God will always lead us to do right. Gods’ will never contradicts His Word. Thus, if something is wrong, it is not of God. He will only lead “in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3) If we fear the Lord properly, we will hate sin. We will not dwell in wickedness, but rather depart from evil. But as long as we accept sin and fail to repent, we will never hear the voice of God and follow His leading.

As long as you are willing to walk in the Light as He is in the light, God can lead in your life’s important decisions. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23). God never intends confusion on the part of His child seeking to obey His plan. When God directs your steps, the Path will be clear.