Which Way Do I Go Lord?

By Olviya Ivanov (WITHIN Member) 
 
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5
 
Recently, I experienced a struggle that taught me to commit my plans and future to the Lord. It’s easy to say, “Just hand it over to God” when talking about our struggles and decisions, but what does it look like practically?
 
Over the past year, I didn’t know which direction to take in my life. A few different opportunities fell into my lap around the same time, and I felt like I was standing at a crossroad. The problem was that they all seemed like good choices. I dove into one job, thinking that it must be from God because I was able to work from home, and stay with my two young boys. A few months later, I realized that this job was not the job for me but tried to make it work because I didn’t want to give up so easily. Another job opportunity arose and I also started thinking about going back to college to get my teaching credential.
 
Making decisions has never been a strong suit of mine. Sometimes wordy menus at restaurants overwhelm me. Emotionally I was a mess. I became anxious, and my worry over making the right decision consumed my thoughts daily. I prayed for God to show me His direction, timing, and purpose. Through His word, God showed me the example of Joshua being deceived into making a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. Joshua and his men were deceived because they didn’t inquire of the Lord (Joshua 9:14). I realized that I didn’t inquire of God’s direction before accepting my previous job. I also learned that:
 
1.) The good thing may not be the right thing.
2.) The right thing, may not be the right thing for me,
right now.
 
I asked my friends to pray that God would show me His way. My brother in law gave me some good advice. He told me to see if my decisions led me to or away from my purpose. That took some more digging and seeking.
 
Through wise council, prayer, and God’s word, I was able to make a decision and receive peace in my heart, knowing that the decision was from God.
 
Friend, my prayer for you is that no matter what kind of decision maker you are, that you take some time to inquire of the Lord, and allow Him to lead you daily.