With all this talk about chasing your dreams and doing something amazing, you might be fed up.
You’re tired of hearing about it. Stop talking about how to live and just live, right?
What if you don’t know what to do? What if you can’t decide?
So many options. So little time.
I feel this tension almost every day.
It’s a paralysis of choice – the disease of indecision.
Who am I?
Am I a blogger? Am I a worship leader? Am I a songwriter? Am I a pastor? Am I a teacher? Am I an artist? Am I a studio musician? Am I a pianist? Am I an author?
What in the world do I focus on?
With so many options available to me, where do I land my focus and spend my time? Does God have a specific will for my life or do I have the freedom to choose?
I’m sure you’ve walked through these seasons of having more questions than answers.
Feeling Frustrated?
Then there are “those people” who are downright frustrating.
I’m going to be honest here. Their success is frustrating. They know what they’re doing. They’re really good at one or two things. They know who they are.
But then I realize they weren’t always confident or successful. They developed to where they are today. They’ve submitted to a process.
You also are developing. En route. In process.
So what do you do when you don’t know what to do?
I can think of at least 5 things:
1. Remain faithful where you are
Don’t bounce around too much. The tendency of our generation is to bail when the going gets tough. I challenge you to stick it out and pour your passion into where you are. It will change your life.
2. Pick something
Don’t get too hung up on whether you’re “called” to it. I’ve seen too many young people delay making any decisions because they didn’t know if they were “called”. Just make a decision and serve God with all your heart. Trust me, you have that freedom.
3. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus
Take a cue from King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:12 – “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” You can’t control your circumstances…but you can control what you focus on.
4. Obey A Scripture…Now
Not sure what to do? Pick a Scripture and go do it. Seriously. Go apply something right now. No, seriously. The rest of this post can wait.
5. Pour yourself into a local church
Join a small group. Start a small group. Volunteer in the kids ministry. Join the worship team. Pick a church and get involved. Don’t just bounce around to whatever is coolest that week. Take responsibility for making your church the coolest place.
Don’t fear the unknown. Don’t cower from your confusion. There are seasons where God seems silent – where his absence may be all you feel. Stand strong. Entrust yourself to His care daily.
He has not forgotten you.
Question: What have you learned through your seasons of confusion? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
I’m thankful for the freedom that we have to choose.
It’s not always about making a ‘right decision’ but more about making A decision while being in line with God.
I wish I could get past that though just wheni thought things were going to stop being confusing for a while, something else is on the table to make me think…
That’s the key, Chris – making decisions while being in line with God. Holy Spirit inspired action.
Amen! Chris, Grace to you and Peace always…> Do not be anxious about anything, but in everythingby prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpassesall understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Phil. 4:6-7
In a season of confusion I typically do a few things: Pray, Fast, and wait.
One of the worst things I’ve ever done is make a decision that was based upon my own fears and frustrations and not His leading.
Sometimes I feel that our generation is good at waiting but not good at really hearing from God. We’re scared to make decisions out of fear. I don’t know. I tend to lean towards less waiting and more action.
I think a lot of times we demand our own burning bush moments and the truth is they just don’t happen they way they used to. That’s what the Spirit is for.
It’s ironic to me that we spend so much time waiting which is often accompanied with anger, frustrating, and for me, lots of yelling. When the whole time God is saying, “if you would just stop yelling at Me you would know that I have been speaking to you the whole time. So stop waiting and go do!”
4 and 5 resonate with me especially. I think we are alternately seduced by our daydreams and paralyzed by our fears – both of which are hung up in our desire to “do something SIGNIFICANT!”. But usually the tasks right in front of us – in the here(local) and now are truly “sufficient unto the day”. Am I a blogger? Am I a musician? Am I a teacher? Am I going to start a group in my neighborhood that will change the world?? And if so HOW?
Beats me.
But there are dishes that need to get in the dishwasher and four boys that need to be schooled and friends that need to be loved on and packages that need to be mailed….all right here, right now. Plus while I’m craving big jobs for God…have I tamed my tongue yet? Am I consistently showing mercy and teaching my children with kindness? Am I managing my time well??? (dont’ ask)
I have to be so careful not to neglect my (allegedly) mundane responsibilities while I chase shiny dreams of more “important” things for His kingdom.
Are you managing your time well? 😉
I TOLD you not to ask me that. Obey yer elders there you!! 😉
Shame on me!
The Lord always leads me into fasting when I get caught up in confusion. But David, you basically have it man. Those 5 points is where I usually end up.
Fasting has been mentioned a couple times here today. If it’s not too personal, how often does the Lord lead you to fast?
Often..once, twice a week…Not just when I’m in confusion but for Breakthrough!
Great stuff! I like when you mentioned “fix your eyes on Jesus”…so important!
By the way, I have been inspired to test the waters of writing a worship series on my blog! It starts tomorrow!
Awesome! What’s the series about?
During times of confusion my killer app question has been “Lord, what would give you the most pleasure right now?”
A couple other thoughts –
#1 “Remain faithful” resonates with me. Keep doing the last thing you heard God clearly tell you to do until you hear clearly to do something else. Be faithful in the little things.
Love how you get the conversation going …
Found New verses to apply. Jeremiah 13:1-11 We are better to be an unwashed underwear clinging to Him day in day out for His glory and praise than to to discard it and have it become our own worthless pride mildewed and ruined under a rock. In chapter 15:18 Jeremiah calls God an unreliable stream, God tells Him to stop that thinking, and that to remain His spokesman, he need consider who he is influencing,pulling the precious from the worthless, and not the other way round, being influenced by the worthless. Finding joy in His glory I cover and encircle Him, not for show, but in necessity and for his purpose. Without the person of God, the cloth hasn’t much purpose. Anyhow, kids and I are debating how long Jerimiah did wear that loin cloth before he put it under the rock.
🙂 Thank your for this post especially this “Don’t get too hung up on whether you’re “called” to it. I’ve seen too many young people delay making any decisions because they didn’t know if they were “called”. Just make a decision and serve God with all your heart. Trust me, you have that freedom.”
It’s like God answered me in this post.
Wow, good to hear! What’s the decision you’re going to make? You don’t have to tell us 🙂