Daily Devotional

When I was a junior at Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL, a mentor was assigned to me. His name was Ed and he was a seminary student attending Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, which was right across the street from the University. I was honored to have an older, long-term Christian who knew the Bible, build into my life while I was finishing up my undergrad.

Ed knew that as a college student, I was at a time in my life where I was making some very important decisions about my future. What I was going to major in. What I was going to do. And who I was going to marry. We studied and memorized Scripture. We prayed together. And we talked a lot about how a Christian can really know what God’s will is for his life.

I asked Ed, “How do you find God’s will for your life?” He said, “90% of God’s will for your life is found in the Bible; the rest is just what you’re going to do, where you’re going to live, and who you’re going to marry.” He said, “If you are living your life according to the Bible, you are in God’s will.”

I said, “Okay, then what about answering the other questions, what I’m going to do, who I’m going to marry, where I’m going to live?” He said, “Brian, there are two schools of thought on that.” He said, “Some Christians feel that they need to just wait for God to reveal His will to them through prayer and Bible study. It will come as a feeling deep within; a prompt.”

“The other school of thought is, you have to start moving in the direction you sense God wants you to go and let Him open and close ‘doors’ for you.” Start working, start serving, start asking girls out, start pushing ‘doors’. He said, “If you’re sitting around doing nothing, waiting for God’s will to be revealed to your spirit, how are you paying the bills, how are you getting educated, how are you meeting girls?” He said, “You need to do something.”

I said, “Which school of thought are you in?” He said, “I think it’s a combination of the two. You are praying and seeking God in His Word, asking Him to make it clear what He wants you to do, and at the same time, you’re moving forward with your life. He said, “For example, you go to college to get your Liberal Arts degree, and you work at In-n-Out to pay the bills.” Going to college represents your future, In-n-Out represents your present.”

He said, but if I was choosing one school of thought, I think the best way to find God’s will is by pushing ‘doors’, and when God opens a ‘door’ (school, employment, potential wife) you move forward. When God closes a ‘door’, you’re not overly discouraged, you take it as God’s will. He directed you by not allowing you to get into that school, work at that place, or date that girl.

It was at this time in my life when I took on Proverbs 3:5–6 as my life verse.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

I know that as long as I trust the LORD and not myself. As long as I move forward following His Word, I will be in His will. And as I do that, He will make my paths straight.

Maybe you’re at that place right now, not knowing what God’s will is for your life. Make sure you’re studying and memorizing Scripture. Make sure you’re praying for clarity from God regarding your future. Then start moving. Start pushing doors. If you have a passion for some occupation, go get some education, and while you’re doing that, work somewhere to pay the bills. And as God directs your path, walk through the doors He opens, and be thankful for the doors He closes, because that’s Him directing you. Trust the Lord.

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