There are many times in our life where we have to make decisions where it brings serious transitions into our lives. As a Christian, there is this pressure to know "What God is saying" about the situation. He can speak to us through the Word, through our friends, pastors, our own thoughts or even a "gut feeling" of what we should do. There are also times where He doesn't speak at all.
Have you ever had to make a decision in your life where you wanted God to just "tell you what to do" but you heard crickets instead? Me too. It's actually become more common as I have matured in the Lord. Which leads me to my next point.
There are times God doesn't tell us what to do, because we are mature enough to KNOW what to do. He taught us what the right decision is, and the wisdom that is deposited in us, is what will guide us to make the right choice.
Whether it be in a career change, moving to a new state, taking the risk for the new business, or marriage, there is wisdom that we can pull on to make the right choice. Does God speak today and does He speak into this areas of our lives, absolutely, is it always the way we want Him to speak, no.
Think of it like this, when a parent trains their child on how to walk, they hold their child's hand until the little babe can grow strength in their legs and walk on their own. Can you imagine a parent trying to hold the hand of a 21 year old adult every single day so they don't fall over or trip. How ridiculous would that be?
Another example, when a child is young, they are taught not to touch the hot stove or else they will get burned. Eventually, when a child does get burned by the stove, they learn to not touch it again. Now imagine a parent, constantly telling their 15 year old teenager to not touch the stove or not put their fingers into the outlet sockets. That would just be bizarre.
So, why do we think God is going to do that for us? Throughout life, He has taught us what to do or what not to do. He may have spoken to us in a closer way, telling us step by step what to do, but as we grow, He doesn't need to tell us what to do, we know what to do. He may still entertain our questions and give us "confirmations" but, I think He remains silent at times so we can step out in what He has already taught us.
I remember when I first started in ministry, Jesus had to tell me what to do step by step. Fill this paper out, next go talk to this person, next gather a team, hold a practice etc. After almost a decade of ministry, God isn't going to tell me those same steps again, I know what to do. I have gained wisdom from past experiences to know how to lead an organization, how to write a play or what people to put into what positions. That doesn't mean I don't ask for guidance when starting something new, or for His grace, He is still involved in everything I do, but, He doesn't have to spoon feed me like I'm a baby in the faith as He once did.
There is a story in the Bible, where Moses was leading the Israelites to freedom during the exodus. Pharaoh and his army began marching after them and the Israelites became afraid, wishing they never left because they thought they would die in the wilderness. Moses had to remind Israel that God would fight for them and then the Lord spoke "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on." (Exodus 14:10-15).
Moses and all of Israel knew what to do, they were just afraid. Fear blinded and paralyzed them. Most times that's what happens to us. We know what to do, we know the answer to our question, but we are afraid of it or don't like it. We confuse ourselves because we want God to just come down from heaven and tell us what to do. He is waiting for us to just move.
Here are some questions that I ask myself when I am trying to make a decision based on wisdom:
What has God taught me in the past concerning the area of decision that needs to be made?
What would wisdom say?
What practical steps do I need to take in order to reach my resolution?
Does this decision bring me closer to Jesus?
Does this decision "take away" from anyone or cause them harm?
What will be the fruit of this choice in the long run?
Is this decision rooted in love and honor?
Praying wisdom and comfort for you as you take the time to pray and wrestle with your next steps. Remember, you hear your Father's voice and He has prepared you to make good and right choices. He is with you in the midst of every situation.