The sun rises on a new day and you find yourself faced with an obstacle you just honestly don’t know how to handle. Maybe it’s something beyond your control, it’s out of your hands. This new challenge leaves you feeling helpless, afraid and overwhelmed. We all have times that come into our lives that stop us in our tracks. We don’t have all the answers, we don’t have the power to change it. What do we do? As a child of God, there is only one thing we should do and that is turn to Him.
Last night after our Wednesday night service at church, feeling overwhelmed with a new trial that has surfaced. The Lord brought to my mind something He was preparing me for. A couple of weeks ago while thinking and praying, this very thought came to my mind. I have been in this place of wonder many times in my Christian walk, each time I have to be reminded of these few simple steps to help me get my focus on the One who is in control of everything concerning me.
So, What DO I DO when I don’t know what to do?
- Trust Anyway In Hebrews 11:1, the Bible tells us “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Have confidence and be fully persuaded in knowing that God will perform all that He has promised to us in Christ. Faith demonstrates to the eye of our mind the reality of those things that cannot be seen with the eyes of our body. We can have faith and trust He knows exactly what is going on in our lives and that He will work it for our good.
- Keep Your Eyes on the Light When we take our eyes off of Jesus, that’s when we begin worry, fear and doubt. Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” He set the example for us, He kept His eyes on things above and didn’t focus on the shame and pain of the cross. We can too.
- Sing Even When it Seems You Don’t Have a Song. Acts 16:25 says, “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” Paul and Silas had been cast into prison, they were at a stand still in their service for the Lord. BUT they didn’t let the bars of the jail, stop their praises. There is always something to sing about. Dig deep within you, You have something to sing and praise about.
- Remember Past Victories Psalm 77:10-11 “And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.” Remember the day He saved you? Remember the answers to prayer that Only He knew about and He answered. If He was faithful then, He will still be faithful today.
- Hope in God Psalm 42:11 “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou on God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” When we believe in confidence in God, it is an antidote against despair and despondency. When we hope in God, it grabs ahold of the power and promises of Our Lord and keeps our heads above water.
- Take One Day At A Time Sometimes hour by hour, minute by minute. He gives grace or the moment. Don’t try to jump ahead of it. Take a deep breath and know that at this very moment He is in control. 2 Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
- Bury Yourself In His Word If we are to find direction. we need only to find it in His Word. Psalm 119:97 “O how love I thy law! it is my mediation all the day.” It’s through His Word that He speaks to us.
- Fall On Your Knees Psalm 55:17 “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” Pray continually. Set aside a time to pray specifically for the need until you get an answer. There is nothing that we face that we can’t take it to the Lord in prayer, any time, all the time.
- Seek Godly Counsel/Advice Proverbs 19:20-21 “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.” Always seek counsel from those who give sound doctrine counsel and not worldly counsel. When you don’t know what to do, turn to God’s people for advice.
- Be Faithful In What You Know To Do 1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” When times get tough, DON”T slack on your service for the Lord. In times like these you need your Saviour, Don’t run from Him. Be faithful!!!!
Here’s What NOT TO Do when you don’t know what to do.
- Don’t Make Rash Decisions Don’t be rush into a decision. God never pushes us, He leads and guides. The devil pushes us to make us fall out of God’s will.
- Don’t Seek Worldly Counsel The world wants you to follow the easy path, take matters into your own hands, and not trust. It has a me first mentality. It’s not about what can prosper us in the ways of the world but what will make us more into the image of the Son of God.
- Don’t Forsake Prayer Don’t forsake your help. Prayer is the key that opens the door to grace, help, peace that passes understanding.
- Don’t Close Your Bible God’s Word has every answer you need to any problem that you are facing. If you close it, it’s like you’re putting your hand over the mouth of God and not allowing Him to speak to you.
- Don’t Trust In Your Own Ways We may know how to take matters into our own hands. When we do so, we are leaning unto our own understanding. That’s pride. Confess it and forsake it. Trust in the One who is all powerful.
- Don’t Get Bitter It’s easy to get a bad attitude when we take our focus off of the goodness of God in our lives. We can’t be bitter if we are praising. Make yourself hope and quietly wait for His provision and answer. Don’t get mad at the Hand that does all things well.
- Don’t Miss Church or Church Functions Listen, this is very important. I believe our problems only worsen when we forsake the assembling of the House of God. It’s in the song service, the preaching, the altar call, the fellowship of the saints that we find help. There have been many times that I felt I was dragging into church, barely able to hold my head above water to find that when I left it was just what my soul needed. Today, too many find any and every excuse to miss church, or any function the church has. In doing so, your forfeiting your own help.
- Don’t Compromise Your Standards Be stedfast in what you have promised the Lord you would do for Him. Just because a situation arises, it doesn’t call for a dropping of your living for Him. If anything it should increase your stand. Grow in this time, don’t dry up.
- Don’t Listen to The Lies of The Devil When trials come, that’s when the devil whispers in our ears that God doesn’t care…God doesn’t hear us…etc…. Lies Lies Lies!!! He’s the father of it. Don’t let his voice be your voice of reason. Fight with God’s Word, God’s Promises and turn your ears unto the Truth!
We all will face this valley of not knowing what to do as we walk this Christian road. As the sun begins to set on our day, Let’s grow in these times closer to the One who….
“….Knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10
