When You Don't Know

When You Don't Know 

by David Brenneman 

It's been a prayer for some time now for me to be praying for God to show me His plan for my life.   As odd as it may seem I have no aspirations, no dreams, of things to pursue in life.  What I do have that remains are things that are more fantasy than a possibility of happening.

Was texting a friend last night about this dilemma of mine.  I am in the midst of searching and praying.  I have done so many things, tried many things, that confusion has set in. 

Then this morning I was reminded by way of this passage that He does know and as my friend had said as well, things will be revealed.

My journey in searching, as it is, began several years ago.  This isn't something that began recently.  What dreams that I had left are financially out of the question. Inventions that I have no ability to afford the time, energy or money to bear out.  In some of those, whether others believe it or not, God's shown me in conversations that the ideas would have worked or that they wouldn't have.

Some people struggle way more than I do at understanding their present and their future.  Praying is what I do because there's only One who holds my life in His hands.  It's not a matter of Jesus denying my desires because of this or that.  The heavy realization is that whatever is permitted to be has to fall into the plan and purpose for humanity, not just individuals. 

Speaking entirely hypothetically, suppose I or someone had an invention to eliminate something that's a global problem.  If such a thing were to arbitrarily be allowed because there were no constraints concerning the Word of God, it would be a free-for-all.  The truth is bound into what Jesus said.  Not one part of the Word of God would pass away as unfulfilled.  It would follow the Father’s timetable. 

What's this got to do with those times when you don't know?  Consider it well that the Spirit of God is very much active and working in this world.  Nearly 8 billion people being directed by the Spirit of God whether they believe it or not, that's what is happening.  8 billion puzzle pieces being maneuvered to fulfill the Word of God. 

And God knows every single detail of your story and mine that is happening and needs to happen.  Praying for what the Scriptures say takes on a higher meaning. 

Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.  His will means paying attention to what He is doing and joining Him in it. 

My desire is to be doing whatever He has in mind for me to be doing, both in the Spiritual sense and the physical sense of providing for my family.  My desire also points towards hearing "well done!" from Jesus.  Is that your priority?

Love not the world nor the things of this world isn't a suggestion.  Yet so many people waste so much of their limited time on this planet trying to figure out how to love God and love this world's ideology. 

You cannot desire what the world does and obey the Word of God.  I am very leery of the things this world promotes in order to find "happiness" as defined by them.  

Jesus often got away from the world to spend time with His Father to know what He was to be doing.  That should be our practice too.  I don't know so I go and pray.

Praying is our heart speaking to His heart. 

While much has been said of our impact on the world at large concerning what is or isn't allowed according to the will of God and the fulfillment of God's word...remember that in the lives of every single Believer the Spirit is accomplished the work of Jesus in us to make us more like Christ Jesus.  

When we run after what the world offers we aren't able to obey the Lord Jesus Christ at the same time. 

Paul said to run the race as one who wants to win the prize.  Would that describe your life in Christ? Are you setting aside your desires to be able to finish well?  I have but that one desire...to finish well.  Money, fame, the approval of men and women, possessions, mean extremely little to me. It's just sadly taken way too much of my life to get to that point.  

When I don't know what to do...I just follow some old advice given to me. Keep doing whatever it is God's put in front of me to be doing until He changes things for me.  Keep praying, keep seeking to know.  The Spirit cannot direct feet that aren't moving.  

"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." Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB95. 

Don't be afraid to pour out your heart to Jesus.  When He prayed to His Father, that's what Jesus did too.  

"This day is the day that the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24 NASB95.