I remember going through a rough time when I was a teenager.
I had started college and finished my first year with failing grades. Halfway through my second year I had a discussion with my parents about my status as a student.
My status was in jeopardy and not looking too promising.
If I were Christian then, I would have prayed for some guidance from the Lord. But luckily my parents were listening to the Lord and helped correct me to get back on track.
I could have made my life a lot easier then if knew how to pray for guidance.
How do you pray for clarity and guidance?
First, make sure you are in a quiet and comfortable place. Close your eyes and calm your mind for a few minutes. After your mind has slowed down, read this verse aloud three times.
After you’ve read it three times, just sit and imagine the Holy Spirit with you.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
When you’re finished, imagine yourself sitting in Christ’s arms being embraced.
Now tell him your situation. It could go something like this:
I owe it all to you. I’m forever indebted to what you’ve done for me. You are my King and my savior above all.
I’m bringing this situation to you. I don’t know which direction to go or what decision to make.
You know my life and every decision I’ve made. Guide me father. Take the lead and I will follow you.
I am yours.
I’m in your hands and I will follow you.
Take this decision and lead me Father.
In Jesus name, amen.
How do you hear God’s voice when making a decision?
It’s all about the condition of your heart when seeking Christ’s guidance. When I was having the discussion about my failing grades with my parents, my heart wasn’t in the right place and I made it much more difficult to hear their guidance for me.
Negative emotions make it difficult to hear from Christ.
My emotions were blocking my ability to hear from Christ. I was feeling distress, anger, and frustration. It was close to impossible for me to hear Christ through those cloudy feelings.
So what did I do about it?
I’m slowly learning to acknowledge the feelings. Disregarding them just makes it go away temporarily. They can come back even stronger later and in different ways.
What I do is give it to Christ. I invite Christ in to the process and give him permission work together with me.
I go in to prayer in the morning during my time with Christ. I ask him for help and give him permission to work. When I do that I find the feelings blocking my ability to listen slowly fade away.
They don’t hold as much power as before.
Once my mind is clear I can begin to pray and ask Christ for guidance in any situation I’m in.
And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
Follow the same process to pray for clarity and guidance. Bring the situation to Christ and lay it before his feet. Listen to what he says in your heart. Give him time to work and respond.
Don’t fret if you don’t hear anything. He may respond to you in other ways. He may speak to you through other people, through small coincidences, or even through scripture.
Just keep your eyes and heart open.
How does God give direction?
Christ can give direction any way that he wants to.
It’s up to us to look and listen.
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
He can speak through scripture, prayer, friends, parents, nature, or even a gentle nudge in your heart.
He’s probably speaking to us all the time. We are just not listening.
I’m guilty of it.
I’m always busy doing something else, missing out on his precious words and friendship. Life is always throwing something at me. I’ve got to interact with the world and respond.
But I’m missing out on relationship with Him.
One of the keys is to first notice how He gives direction. Do you have a feeling about how he speaks to you? Do you find peace when you go for a walk outside? Maybe he talks to you through nature.
Have you ever read scripture and a word or feeling jumped out to you? Maybe he talks to you through scripture.
Slow down next time you feel something similar happen. Listen to your heart and see if you feel anything different. Maybe you’ve discovered how Christ gives direction in your life.
Take notice and listen intently.
Where do I go from Here?
Now you’ve got an idea of how Christ speaks to you. Continue in prayer taking your situation to Him and giving Him permission to work with you.
Don’t be frustrated if you don’t hear anything. You may not be listening in the right place. Give it some time.
Let your heart rest on it. Maybe you’ll have some answers the next morning after your heart has rested.
Even if you don’t hear anything from him, I’m learning that his grace is like a pasture between two fences. As long as you stay inside the fence, you’ll be in His grace. You can make decisions that keep you within the field, but not outside.
Spend time with Christ and he will respond to you.