how to follow without knowing what you're doing
Start writing a post

How To Follow Him Without Having It All Figured Out

God doesn't call us to know; He calls us to go

50
woman reading

"If you don't know where you're going you'll never get there"

We hear it all the time- that without a perfectly laid out plan and a goal, nothing will ever get done.

Despite being well-intentioned, this phrase causes a conflict for those of us who call ourselves Christians. You see, if we walk by faith, there are times where we don't know what we're doing. This doesn't always sit well with our human nature (or our anxiety!). If Paul can claim "Chief of Sinners" I'm the Head of "Plan-everything-out". I thrive on order, schedules, and anticipation of what's next. However, the Kingdom of Heaven just doesn't roll that way.

A major point in Christianity (that we like to ignore) is that our life is not ours to do what we please (1 Corinthians 6:20). In fact, our life is so abandoned to the point of becoming a sacrifice (Romans 1). That being said, there are just times when our plans get trumped by something so so much bigger- the will of God.

So how do we plan our future when we're met with a God whose plans are so much bigger than we could ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20)? We obey right where we're at, we do the things that Glorify God at the moment that we are in, and we wait. We trust even when it doesn't seem to make sense- that's a part of having faith.

The best plans for our life will always be the one that we didn't write.

The problem for us often comes when we know that we're called to go, and we just aren't sure where to. Don't buy into the lie that you have to have it all figured out to follow God's plan for your life. When God called Abraham to pack up his family and leave all that he had ever known, God simply said: "Go" (Geniuses 12:1). God didn't say how far. God didn't tell Abraham to take a left or a right. God said, "Go". There are times in our own lives when we may not know if we should take a left or a right if we should do one thing over another; but if we read scripture and we know what pleases God, we can know that we're walking in His paths.

As an anxious hearted Christian, I often worry about always making the right decisions. Whenever I come to a fork in the road, I spend a ridiculous amount of time stressing between This Way and That Way. Thankfully, Jesus made that choice easy. He says "I am the Way" in John 14:16. In a time in my life where everything seems to be piled with choices, decisions, and deadlines, I am able to rest in that as long as I choose Jesus, I can't go wrong.

While it is easy to paint God's will as this mystic, impossible concept that we can never quite grasp, I'd like to believe that things are much more simple than that. In fact, the Bible in 1 Corinthians 14 tells us that our God is not about confusion, but about peace. We have peace when we are doing the things that the Lord asks us to do. We know what it is that He asks of us when we read His words to us. We may not have any clue what tomorrow holds, or if one option will make us happier than the other, or what it is that God will ask of us 25 years down the road. That's ok. God doesn't need us to know everything- in Acts 1:7 we are told by Jesus that "it is NOT for [us] to know the times or seasons that God has fixed". It is our job to serve God where we are at.

God doesn't need us to be all-knowing-- He's already got that one under control on His own.

He only asks that we trust and obey Him right where we are. Keep reading scripture, and obey what the Lord asks of you.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

45896
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

29051
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

953475
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

160292
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments