Call on God for Stability

[Christ4Ever]

Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; In You I take shelter. Teach me to do Your will, For You [are] my God; Your Spirit [is] good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. Psalm 143:9-10 NKJV

Where do you turn when life becomes disrupted and uncertain? If going into hiding sounds like a good plan, the Psalms agree, to a point. Seasons of instability and fear are opportunities to discover where you place your hope, and the Psalms encourage you to hide yourself in God alone, placing all your hope in God’s provision.

There are plenty of opportunities to hedge your bets. The life of faith is full of detours and missteps, and you will surely need God’s grace on plenty of occasions.

If you hope to be transformed by the Lord, then you will need God’s instruction and guidance. You’ve been given the Spirit of God, and you can ask boldly for the wisdom and change of heart that will enable you to live differently.

As life throws obstacles and unexpected twists in your way, the Spirit of God can lead you to the security of level ground. That will allow you to stand firm in the presence of God with confidence and peace.

Prayer: Lord, I depend on You alone to defend me. May I hear Your Spirit with clarity today so that I can find the stability You provide.

 

[absters1210]

How would you know for certain that you are being guided by God and on His path for you? I've heard a lot of friends say they aren't sure if they are actually following God or their idea of God.

 

[Christ4Ever]

How would you know for certain that you are being guided by God and on His path for you? I've heard a lot of friends say they aren't sure if they are actually following God or their idea of God.

Hello absters1210,
You sure start out with a question that many, if not all have wondered about at one time or another!
There is a lot that goes into it. First and foremost is receiving Jesus Christ as your savior, being baptized and understanding what that means. Which should be something at least understood before you have received Him!

Normally, this comes from being in a church, being witnessed to by another Believer, etc. Hopefully, in any case you will be discipled by someone, who is already on a path that God has set for them to walk and will be able to help you in your life as a Christian. Some of these things might/should be included are:

Starting new habits.
How to Pray/Praying
Reading the Bible
Attending Bible Study
Starting/Throughout/Ending the day with talking with Him (Probably the most important one) After all He will become your best friend!

So, find the time for many of things, because the World will intrude upon your life to prevent or provide excuses from you doing so.

These are but a few general ones, that putting in your life, will help you immensely. In Bible study, you can look at the lives of those who have come before. There are examples, that you can use to help understand what God wants of, and for those who have chosen to follow Him. There are some things that all believers should be doing, and is the reason we each have our own testimony is but one example. That would be sharing it so that others may know why we believe what we believe. So, study Scripture, if you're not doing so now, as well as some of the of the other things I have mentioned, and if you start a thread of your own, you can ask other brethren here at TJ for other suggestions in how they were helped in there own walk.

Also, you will find that promptings by the Holy Spirit, will be something that is helpful to seek to be open to. Always remember that He will not guide you to doing something that is contrary to the Word of God!!! That is why study of Scripture is so important.

I truly hope this has helped you some, and will pray for you.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><

 

[absters1210]

Hello absters1210,
You sure start out with a question that many, if not all have wondered about at one time or another!
There is a lot that goes into it. First and foremost is receiving Jesus Christ as your savior, being baptized and understanding what that means. Which should be something at least understood before you have received Him!

Normally, this comes from being in a church, being witnessed to by another Believer, etc. Hopefully, in any case you will be discipled by someone, who is already on a path that God has set for them to walk and will be able to help you in your life as a Christian. Some of these things might/should be included are:

Starting new habits.
How to Pray/Praying
Reading the Bible
Attending Bible Study
Starting/Throughout/Ending the day with talking with Him (Probably the most important one) After all He will become your best friend!

So, find the time for many of things, because the World will intrude upon your life to prevent or provide excuses from you doing so.

These are but a few general ones, that putting in your life, will help you immensely. In Bible study, you can look at the lives of those who have come before. There are examples, that you can use to help understand what God wants of, and for those who have chosen to follow Him. There are some things that all believers should be doing, and is the reason we each have our own testimony is but one example. That would be sharing it so that others may know why we believe what we believe. So, study Scripture, if you're not doing so now, as well as some of the of the other things I have mentioned, and if you start a thread of your own, you can ask other brethren here at TJ for other suggestions in how they were helped in there own walk.

Also, you will find that promptings by the Holy Spirit, will be something that is helpful to seek to be open to. Always remember that He will not guide you to doing something that is contrary to the Word of God!!! That is why study of Scripture is so important.

I truly hope this has helped you some, and will pray for you.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><

\

Thank you for your help!

 

[Enxu]

How would you know for certain that you are being guided by God and on His path for you? I've heard a lot of friends say they aren't sure if they are actually following God or their idea of God.

I have a very different perspective than what others may say to this question.

The answer to your question about how to know if you’re under God’s guidance is as simple as knowing God’s commandments. Does this action/decision/path of yours lead to a life of righteousness? If yes, then it is God’s guidance. If no, then you are probably guiding yourself and/or under the guidance of evil spirits.

So what is righteousness? The two greatest commandments: love God with all your heart, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.

 

[Hekuran]

Agree with @Enxu totally. Alongside the two greatest commandments, read the Sermon on the Mount deeply.

God's will for us is to obey Jesus' teaching. That covers the vast, vast majority of what we are called to. And then occasionally there are specific issues that come up that we seek guidance for. Should I move home, job? Where and what to study? Which friendships should I invest most in?

I believe that if we are devoted to Jesus' teaching, that second order of specific guidance becomes easier. But it's often not straightforward, and we have to inch forward in faith, trusting God to make his ways clear.

Personally, I find the common expression 'God has a plan for my life' unhelpful. It's rather individualistic, encourages self absorption, and, worse, causes a whole load of anxiety for people who worry that they might have missed God's plan for their life. Better to say, 'God has a plan, and he has a place for me in that plan'.