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The Answer To Everything
BY CHARLES F. STANLEY
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which
you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” - Psalm 32:8
On Sundays I often get to greet visitors after I
preach, and the question they ask most frequently is, “In my situation, how
do I make a wise decision?”
Usually
they come hoping I can help them find a solution. I always tell them I have no
quick answers but can offer good advice: Get to know the mind of God.
The
first step in making wise decisions is to learn who God is and what He has
promised.
Some
Christians think the Lord is up in heaven playing hide-and-seek with His will
for our life, as if He’s trying to make it hard for us to figure out the right
move.
However,
that perception of Him doesn’t fit His character as revealed in Scripture.
In Psalm 32:8, the Lord makes this promise to His
children: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”
As
followers of Christ, we can confidently expect His clear guidance for every
situation in life.
Scripture
is filled with examples of God guiding His people: Abraham was instructed to
leave his country and go to a land the Lord would show him (Genesis 12:1);
in being assigned to lead the Israelites, Moses received very clear commands at
the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-22); and in the New Testament, Jesus revealed the precise
location of the blinded Saul so that Ananias could be used in restoring his
sight (Acts 9:10-18).
Although
it would be unlikely for us to hear from God the same way today, these examples
show He’s committed to guiding His children’s lives.
Some
Christians think the Lord is up in heaven playing hide-and-seek with His will
for our life, as if He’s trying to make it hard for us to figure out the right
move.
Today
the Lord speaks to us through His written Word. Sometimes we want God’s
guidance on an issue but are unwilling to learn what He’s already told us in
His Word.
Yet
that’s the source we should consult. While the Bible may not present a direct
answer to our specific question, it contains many principles and examples that
can guide us.
That
being said, we must be careful not to force a Scripture passage to fit into our
situation in order to justify what we desire.
God’s
Word is like a fire that burns away the worthless dross in our life so we can
be in a position for Him to answer our prayers.
As
we fill our minds with His truth, He changes our thinking to align with His so
we can more clearly discern what He would have us do.
Then
we can pray with confidence, knowing He promises to do whatever we ask if it’s
in accordance with His will (1 John
5:14-15).
The
Holy Spirit is our Guide. Jesus promised to send a Helper, saying, “When He,
the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13).
The
Holy Spirit not only interprets God’s Word for us; He also pricks our
conscience when we’re heading the wrong direction and gives us a sense of peace
when we’re going the right way.
Each
time we obey the Spirit’s promptings, He sharpens our conscience and perception
so we are more attuned to His leading.
We
especially need the Spirit’s guidance when the decision is not a matter of
right and wrong.
We
especially need the Spirit’s guidance when the decision is not a matter of
right and wrong. For instance, a few years ago I was moving ahead in a
direction that looked right and seemed to be God’s will.
However,
every once in a while, I felt a little twinge of unease. Since I was so far
along in the process, I kept going, but each day the feeling increased until I
abandoned the plan.
Although
the direction looked right, the Spirit was warning me that it was either not
God’s purpose or not the right time.
To
receive God’s clear instructions, we must watch out for pitfalls. Sometimes our
desires get in the way.
Suppose
something in a store or online looks very appealing. You imagine how great it
would be to own, and the more it dominates your thoughts, the greater your
desire becomes.
Before
long, you can’t even hear the Spirit’s voice because your mind and heart have
already made the decision.
Beware
of impatience. When a decision seems urgent, we want God to provide an answer
immediately.
We
may pray about the matter, but if the Lord doesn’t answer soon enough, we take
matters into our own hands.
Who
knows how many people have rushed into marriage because they thought it was
their only chance, or felt pressured to purchase a car or house because the
sale price was good only for a short time?
The
problem with impatience is that it can cause us to jump ahead of God.
Before
long, you can’t even hear the Spirit’s voice because your mind and heart have
already made the decision.
Patience
requires that we pause until we receive further instructions from the Lord.
This can be especially challenging when we keep feeling pressure to settle a
matter.
Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and
let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.”
To
stand alone as we wait for God’s clear guidance takes courage, especially when
other people are urging us to make a decision quickly.
By
choosing to wait, we will probably be misunderstood by those who don’t
understand how the Lord works.
We
must also avoid relying solely on the counsel of others.
Although
the Bible recommends that we listen to wise, godly counsel (Proverbs 19:20),
we must not make this a substitute for seeking personal guidance from the Lord.
Sometimes
He works through other people to direct our path, but ultimately, He’s the one
who knows every aspect of the situation.
Therefore,
God is the only counselor who will never lead us astray.
What
a comfort to know that we are not left on this earth to find our own way.
As
Christians, we can confidently count on divine guidance in every situation.
When
we’re making decisions, the key to peace is trust in God.
Even
if our prayers are not being answered quickly, we have confidence that the Lord
knows what’s best and will make the way clear at just the right time.
Charles F. Stanley is the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New
York Times best-selling author. While his teaching is transmitted
throughout the world to millions of people, Dr. Stanley has been said to
demonstrate a practical, keen awareness of people's needs and provide
Christ-centered, biblically-based principles for everyday life.
Dr. Stanley’s motivation is
best represented by the truth found in Acts 20:24, “Life is worth nothing
unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of
telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love.” This is
because, as he says, “It is the Word of God and the work of God that changes
people’s lives.”
https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/the-pulpit/the-answer-to-everything
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