Faith in Real Life — Part 12
Have you ever had a thought that just wouldn’t leave you alone?
Maybe it was something you felt you were supposed to do.
A decision you needed to make.
A conversation you felt led to have.
A door you wondered whether you should walk through.
And somewhere in the middle of thinking about it, you found yourself asking…
Is this God speaking to me?
Or is this just something I want?
I think this is one of the most important questions we can ask as Christians.
Because we talk a lot about following God’s leading.
We say things like:
“God laid this on my heart.”
“I feel like God is telling me…”
“I believe God is opening a door.”
And sometimes those statements come from sincere prayer, careful discernment, and a genuine desire to obey Him.
But sometimes?
Sometimes we’re simply trying to make sense of our own thoughts.
And if we’re being honest, sometimes we want something so badly that we’re tempted to believe God must want it for us, too.
That’s where discernment becomes so important.
Because wanting something doesn’t automatically mean God is leading us toward it.
And feeling uncertain doesn’t automatically mean He isn’t.
So how do we begin to tell the difference?
First, We Have to Acknowledge Our Own Desires
I think one of the hardest parts of discerning God’s guidance is recognizing how much our own desires can influence what we believe we’re hearing.
We all have preferences.
Dreams.
Fears.
Expectations.
Things we hope will happen.
And things we desperately want to avoid.
Sometimes we pray about a decision while already having a very strong opinion about what the answer should be.
We ask God to guide us, but deep down, we’ve already chosen the direction we want to go.
Then we begin looking for confirmation.
A Scripture that seems to support our decision.
A conversation that sounds encouraging.
An opportunity that appears at just the right moment.
And suddenly we feel certain.
This must be God.
But here’s the question we need to ask ourselves:
Am I truly seeking God’s will, or am I looking for His approval of mine?
That’s not always an easy question to answer.
Because our desires aren’t necessarily wrong.
God created us with personalities, interests, gifts, and passions.
And sometimes He uses those very things to direct our lives.
But we need to hold our desires with open hands.
Because there’s a difference between wanting God to guide us and wanting Him to agree with us.
God’s Word Is Our Foundation
If we’re trying to discern whether something is from God, Scripture is where we need to begin.
Not with a feeling.
Not with a coincidence.
Not with something someone posted on social media.
But with God’s Word.
Second Timothy 3:16–17 teaches that Scripture is breathed out by God and equips believers for every good work.
That matters because our feelings change.
Our circumstances change.
Our understanding changes.
But God’s character and truth remain trustworthy.
If something we’re considering clearly contradicts Scripture, we don’t need to keep searching for signs that God approves of it.
For example, we don’t need to wonder whether God is leading us to be dishonest, unfaithful, cruel, or deliberately harmful to someone else.
Those things are inconsistent with His revealed will.
And no amount of personal conviction makes them right.
But here’s where discernment becomes more complicated.
Not every decision we face has a specific Bible verse telling us exactly what to do.
Scripture may not tell us which job to accept.
Which house to purchase.
Whether to start a business.
Whether to move to another city.
Or which opportunity to pursue.
That’s where biblical wisdom, prayer, counsel, and thoughtful decision-making become important.
God’s Word doesn’t always provide a personalized answer to every choice.
But it gives us the foundation for making choices that honor Him.
Not Every Thought Is God’s Voice
I think this is something we need to talk about more openly.
Because sometimes Christians feel pressure to identify every meaningful thought as a message from God.
We have an idea.
We feel strongly about something.
We experience an unexpected coincidence.
And we immediately wonder whether God is speaking.
Now, I absolutely believe God guides His people.
But I also believe we need humility when interpreting our experiences.
Our thoughts can come from many places.
Our memories.
Our fears.
Our hopes.
Our experiences.
Our emotions.
Our understanding of Scripture.
And sometimes simply the ordinary process of thinking through a situation.
A thought can be meaningful without being a direct message from God.
And recognizing that doesn’t make us less spiritual.
It makes us careful.
First John 4:1 tells believers not to believe every spirit, but to test the spirits.
In context, John is addressing the need to discern whether spiritual teachings are truly from God.
The broader reminder is valuable: we shouldn’t accept every spiritual claim without examination.
That includes being thoughtful about the claims we make concerning our own impressions.
Sometimes the most faithful thing we can say is:
“I’ve been praying about this, and I believe it may be the right direction.”
Rather than:
“God told me this is what I have to do.”
There is humility in acknowledging that we can sincerely seek God and still misunderstand something.
Peace Matters, but It Isn’t the Only Test
Have you ever heard someone say:
“If you have peace about it, that’s how you know it’s God”?
I’ve heard that many times.
And I understand what people mean.
God’s peace is a beautiful gift.
Philippians 4:6–7 encourages believers to bring their concerns to God through prayer and thanksgiving, promising that His peace will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
But I think we need to be careful about treating a feeling of peace as the only evidence of God’s direction.
Because sometimes doing the right thing is uncomfortable.
Sometimes obedience requires a difficult conversation.
Sometimes making a wise decision involves uncertainty.
Sometimes we feel nervous simply because we’re stepping into something unfamiliar.
And sometimes we feel peaceful about a decision because it’s the one we already wanted to make.
Comfort isn’t always confirmation, and discomfort isn’t always a warning.
Peace is something to be grateful for.
But it shouldn’t replace Scripture, wisdom, prayer, or honest examination of our motives.
We need more than a feeling to determine whether we’re walking wisely.
What About Open and Closed Doors?
We often talk about God opening and closing doors.
And I do believe circumstances can play a role in how He guides us.
An unexpected opportunity may become available.
A plan may fall through.
A conversation may lead somewhere we never anticipated.
A door we thought was closed may suddenly open.
But here’s something worth remembering.
An open door isn’t automatically a command from God to walk through it.
And a closed door doesn’t always mean we’re supposed to stop trying.
Sometimes an opportunity is available but isn’t wise.
Sometimes a worthwhile goal requires perseverance through obstacles.
Sometimes a delay is simply a delay.
And sometimes circumstances really do help us recognize that a particular direction isn’t possible or appropriate right now.
The challenge is learning not to turn every circumstance into a secret message.
We can acknowledge God’s providence without pretending we know exactly what every event means.
Instead of asking only, “Is the door open?” perhaps we should also ask:
“Does this align with Scripture?”
“Is this a wise decision?”
“Am I prepared for the responsibility?”
“What might the consequences be?”
“Have I sought trustworthy counsel?”
“Am I willing to accept a different outcome?”
Those questions help us move beyond simply interpreting circumstances and toward making thoughtful, faithful decisions.
My Own Story: Following the Breadcrumbs
When I think about the question of how we know whether something is God leading us or simply our own desires, I have to think about the journey that brought me here.
Because if I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure I made some big decision to do any of this.
I didn’t sit down one day and decide I was going to start a business, build a website, write a book, and begin sharing my faith with people through all these different avenues.
That wasn’t my plan.
I didn’t have some grand vision of what Living Life Graciously would become.
And I certainly didn’t have a roadmap for getting here.
It just seems like one little thing led to another.
One opportunity.
One idea.
One conversation.
One open door.
And before I knew it, I was doing things I never imagined I’d be doing.
I’ve come to think of those moments as breadcrumbs of grace.
Little reminders along the way that make me stop and wonder whether God has been gently guiding me toward something I couldn’t see for myself.
Living Life Graciously began with something deeply personal.
My sister, Laura.
Those three letters—LLG—are her initials.
And after losing her, I wanted a way to honor her memory.
But I never imagined that those letters would eventually become the name of a business.
A business where I could create things that reflect my faith, share the beauty of God’s Word, and hopefully encourage someone else along the way.
And then there was the writing.
I’ve had a desire to write for years.
But having a desire to write and actually becoming an author are two very different things.
I didn’t know how that would happen.
I didn’t know what I would write.
And I certainly didn’t imagine how much of my own life, my faith, and the lessons I’ve learned would eventually find their way onto those pages.
Yet here I am.
I’ve written Living Life Graciously.
And somehow, what began as thoughts and experiences I wanted to put into words became an entire book.
Then there’s the website.
The blog.
The opportunities to share Scripture and encouragement.
The people I’ve met.
The friendships that have come into my life at times when I didn’t even realize how much I needed them.
It’s almost as though the breadcrumbs have just kept appearing.
And I’ve kept following them.
Now, I want to be careful about something.
I can’t tell you that every idea I’ve had came directly from God.
I can’t tell you that every open door was some unmistakable sign.
And I certainly can’t claim to know everything He intends to do with any of this.
But when I look back at how things have unfolded, I can’t help but see His faithfulness woven throughout the journey.
Not because everything has been easy.
Not because every decision has been obvious.
And not because I’ve always known what I was doing.
Believe me, I haven’t.
But because so much of this has developed in ways I never would have planned for myself.
And here’s what I find especially interesting.
I don’t feel like I’ve been chasing some big dream of building a business or becoming an author.
I’ve simply been taking the next step that seemed to be in front of me.
Learning something new.
Trying something unfamiliar.
Following an opportunity.
Sharing something God has been teaching me.
And then discovering another step waiting just beyond that one.
I didn’t set out to build all of this. Somehow, it has grown into something bigger than the idea I started with.
And sometimes I find myself wondering:
Lord, is this what You’ve been leading me toward all along?
I don’t know the full answer to that.
Maybe I won’t until much later.
But I do know that this journey has drawn me deeper into my faith.
It’s encouraged me to spend more time in God’s Word.
It’s given me opportunities to share what I’m learning.
It’s brought people into my life who have encouraged me and strengthened my walk with Him.
And it’s reminded me that our lives can continue unfolding in meaningful ways long after we think we’ve figured out what they’re supposed to look like.
So when someone asks, “How do you know it’s God and not just you?” I don’t think I can always give them a simple answer.
Because sometimes I ask myself that very question.
But I can tell you what I’m learning.
I’m learning to pay attention.
To pray.
To keep returning to Scripture.
To consider whether the things I’m pursuing reflect the character of Christ.
To remain willing to change direction if I realize I’ve gotten something wrong.
And to hold whatever comes next with open hands.
Because I don’t want to become so attached to what Living Life Graciously is becoming that I forget why it matters to me in the first place.
It was never supposed to be about building something impressive.
It was about honoring someone I love, sharing a faith that has grown through the years, and hopefully encouraging others to recognize God’s grace in their own lives.
And perhaps that’s the part I find most meaningful.
I may not know exactly where all these breadcrumbs are leading, but I can look back and recognize how much grace I’ve experienced along the way.
I don’t know what the next chapter will look like.
I don’t know which opportunities will continue or which doors may close.
But I want to keep approaching each step with gratitude, humility, and a willingness to follow where God leads.
And if one day I look back and realize that all those little breadcrumbs were part of something much bigger than I could have imagined, I think I’ll just smile.
Because I certainly didn’t see any of this coming.
Sometimes We Confuse Fear With a Warning
Here’s another possibility.
Sometimes we believe God is telling us not to do something when the truth is that we’re afraid.
Afraid of failing.
Afraid of being embarrassed.
Afraid of change.
Afraid of disappointing someone.
Afraid of stepping outside what feels familiar.
And because fear can feel so powerful, we interpret it as a warning.
Maybe God doesn’t want me to do this.
But what if the hesitation isn’t spiritual discernment?
What if it’s simply fear?
Now, that doesn’t mean we should ignore every concern.
Fear can sometimes alert us to genuine risks.
And wisdom requires us to take those risks seriously.
But we need to examine what we’re actually feeling.
Is there a biblical or practical reason to pause?
Or am I avoiding something simply because it requires courage?
Sometimes what feels like a closed door is really a place where we need wisdom and courage to decide whether to move forward.
And sometimes the wise choice truly is to wait.
Discernment means being willing to consider both possibilities.
The Importance of Wise Counsel
Proverbs 15:22 teaches that plans fail without counsel, but succeed with many advisers.
I think this is especially important when we’re trying to determine whether something is God’s leading.
Because our own perspective can be limited.
We may be emotionally invested.
We may overlook important details.
We may be excited about an opportunity without recognizing the challenges.
Or we may be so afraid of making the wrong decision that we cannot see the possibilities clearly.
That’s why wise counsel matters.
Not just someone who will tell us what we want to hear.
But someone who knows Scripture.
Someone who demonstrates spiritual maturity.
Someone who cares about us enough to ask difficult questions.
Someone who can offer perspective without trying to control our decisions.
And sometimes the most helpful person isn’t the one who immediately says, “Yes, that’s God!”
Sometimes it’s the one who gently asks:
“Have you prayed about this?”
“Does this align with what Scripture teaches?”
“Why do you feel drawn to this?”
“Have you considered the consequences?”
“Would you still trust God if this doesn’t work out?”
Those questions aren’t meant to discourage us.
They’re meant to help us think clearly.
Godly counsel doesn’t replace our responsibility to make decisions. It helps us exercise that responsibility wisely.
What If You Make the Wrong Decision?
I think this is one of the biggest fears behind the whole question.
What if I think God is leading me, but I’m wrong?
What if I choose the wrong path?
What if I miss what He wanted me to do?
And sometimes we become so afraid of making a mistake that we stop moving altogether.
We wait for certainty.
We wait for a sign.
We wait for someone to tell us exactly what to do.
We wait for every doubt to disappear.
But not every decision comes with absolute certainty.
Sometimes we have to make the wisest choice we can with the information we have.
We pray.
We examine Scripture.
We seek counsel.
We consider our responsibilities.
We evaluate the consequences.
And then we make a decision.
That doesn’t mean every choice will turn out the way we hoped.
And it doesn’t mean our decisions are unimportant.
Some choices carry serious consequences, and we need to approach them carefully.
But we don’t have to live as though one imperfect decision automatically places us beyond God’s ability to help us.
Proverbs 3:5–6 encourages us to trust in the Lord rather than relying entirely on our own understanding, acknowledging Him in our ways.
That isn’t a promise that every decision will be easy or every outcome pleasant.
But it is an invitation to live dependently upon God.
We are called to be faithful, not all-knowing.
And sometimes faithfulness means making a thoughtful decision without knowing exactly how the story will unfold.
Obedience Isn’t Always Dramatic
I think we sometimes make God’s guidance more mysterious than it needs to be.
We imagine that following Him always involves a dramatic moment.
A powerful feeling.
A remarkable coincidence.
An unmistakable sign.
But much of Christian obedience happens in ordinary life.
Telling the truth.
Keeping our commitments.
Loving our families.
Forgiving others.
Serving someone in need.
Showing kindness when we’re frustrated.
Practicing integrity when no one is watching.
Being faithful with the responsibilities already in front of us.
Micah 6:8 reminds us of what God requires: to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with Him.
That’s not mysterious.
It’s a way of life.
And perhaps sometimes we’re so focused on discovering God’s specific direction for our future that we overlook the clear instructions He’s already given us for today.
Before we ask God to reveal the next big step, we should be willing to obey Him in the steps we already understand.
Learning to Recognize God’s Character
I think discernment becomes healthier as our relationship with God deepens.
Not because we’ll suddenly understand every circumstance.
Not because we’ll never misunderstand an impression.
And not because we’ll receive a clear answer to every question.
But because the more we know God’s Word, the better equipped we become to recognize what reflects His character.
We begin understanding the importance of truth.
Humility.
Love.
Holiness.
Patience.
Wisdom.
Faithfulness.
And we become more aware of our own tendency to confuse personal preference with spiritual direction.
Over time, we may become more comfortable saying:
“I don’t know yet.”
“I’m still praying.”
“I need more information.”
“I believe this is a wise direction, but I’m holding the outcome loosely.”
There’s maturity in that.
Because discernment isn’t about convincing everyone that we have a special understanding of God’s plans.
It’s about humbly seeking to live in a way that honors Him.
Five Questions Worth Asking
When you’re facing a decision and wondering whether God is leading you, here are five questions that may help.
1. Does this align with Scripture?
God’s Word is our foundation. We shouldn’t use personal impressions to justify something Scripture clearly teaches against.
2. What is motivating me?
Am I seeking to honor God, or am I primarily looking for confirmation of what I already want?
3. Have I prayed honestly about it?
Not just asking God to bless my preferred outcome, but sincerely asking for wisdom and a willingness to accept a different answer.
4. Have I sought wise counsel and considered the practical consequences?
God has given us the ability to reason, learn, and seek guidance from mature believers and people with relevant experience.
5. Am I willing to move forward humbly, without claiming certainty I don’t actually have?
Sometimes we can make a faithful decision while acknowledging that we don’t know exactly how things will turn out.
And I think that last question is especially important.
Because there’s a difference between confidence in God’s character and certainty about our interpretation of His plans.
We can have the first without always possessing the second.
A Prayer for Discernment
Father,
You know my heart.
You know the things I desire, the decisions I’m facing, and the questions I don’t know how to answer.
Sometimes I struggle to recognize the difference between what I want and what You may be leading me toward.
And sometimes I’m afraid of making the wrong decision.
Help me seek Your wisdom rather than simply asking You to approve my plans.
Give me a heart that is willing to listen.
Teach me to know Your Word more deeply so that I can recognize what aligns with Your truth.
Help me examine my motives honestly.
Protect me from allowing fear, pride, impatience, or personal desires to cloud my judgment.
Surround me with wise people who will encourage me, challenge me, and point me toward You.
And when the answer isn’t immediately clear, give me patience.
When a decision must be made, give me wisdom and courage.
Help me hold my plans with open hands.
And remind me that my confidence belongs in You, not in my ability to understand every detail of the future.
I want to walk faithfully with You, Lord.
Even when I’m uncertain.
Even when the next step feels unfamiliar.
And even when I don’t have all the answers.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A Final Thought
Maybe you’re facing a decision right now.
Maybe there’s something you’ve been praying about for weeks, months, or even years.
Maybe you feel drawn in a particular direction but aren’t sure whether that desire is from God or simply something you’ve been hoping for.
I want to encourage you not to confuse uncertainty with spiritual failure.
You don’t have to claim that God told you something when you’re still trying to understand.
You don’t have to interpret every coincidence as a sign.
And you don’t have to be afraid of using the wisdom, Scripture, counsel, and reasoning God has made available to you.
Pray.
Study His Word.
Examine your heart.
Seek wise counsel.
Consider your responsibilities.
And be willing to move forward—or wait—with humility.
Because sometimes the question isn’t whether we can identify a special message from God in every circumstance.
Sometimes the question is whether we’re willing to honor Him with the decisions we make.
You may not always know with certainty whether a particular idea came from God or from your own thoughts. But you can learn to make decisions shaped by His Word, His character, and a sincere desire to obey Him.
And perhaps that’s one of the most important parts of learning to walk with God.
Not pretending we have every answer.
But trusting Him enough to seek wisdom, act faithfully, and remain teachable along the way.
That’s faith in real life.
Grateful for His grace. Gracious with His love.