God knows all the details, but how do we find these details and follow the particular path God desires for us? This is where many Christians get confused. The God who told His Old Testament people that He had "good plans" for them has good plans for your life too. There may be many potential Christian spouses who meet the biblical qualifications of a wife or husband, but which one is the best Christian life-partner for you? God knows which person will best complement you, or perhaps God’s plan for you is to remain single. If you’re willing to let God direct your path, they will be there, right on schedule. He controls all the events and circumstances of history. God knows the particular jobs and locations that are best for you. This sovereign God knows all your abilities and potentials (as well as your shortcomings and limitations). While several vocations might bring you happiness, success, and fulfillment, it’s logical to assume that the God who "works all things after the counsel of His will" (Ephesians 1:11) would guide you to the career path that’s best for your present and future spiritual growth. Would your heavenly Father, who knows all these details say, “Just choose any college”? Or would He lead you to choose the particular university that would result in the very best path for you? He knows which college will have the best opportunities for Christian service using your individual talents and spiritual gifts. The God who has promised to "guide us with His eye" (Psalm 32:8) knows which school has the best Christian environment for you. However, some colleges might tear down-rather than challenge and strengthen-your Christian faith. Any number of colleges or universities, Christian or secular, might be fine for you, as far as education goes.
These road signs are unmistakable in Scripture.īut what about specific questions that apply only to yourself, and not to all sheep? Decisions about whether you should go to college, and where, or what career path should you choose, or if/when you should get married – and to whom? Can these areas be included in God's plan for your life? No “right path” will ever lead us through the field of adultery or fornication. No “right path,” for example, will ever guide us to a pasture of slander or cheating or gluttony. Of course, the moral "right paths" that God has chosen for us are clearly marked out in His Word, and they’re the same for all sheep. It’s similar to what the Lord Jesus said about His care for each individual sheep: "The good Shepherd calls His own sheep by name” (John 10:3). Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David went beyond the basic model of a shepherd leading his flock to emphasize God's guidance for individuals. A shepherd doesn’t just send the sheep off in a general direction and hope things go well! He goes ahead of them, and he guides them along the specific paths that he knows will be best for them.ĭavid, the author of Psalm 23, knew a lot about caring for sheep.
But He can also specifically guide each of us in life choices, since He alone knows the best choice amongst a number of possible paths.Ī similar promise is found in Psalm 23:3: "He guides me along right paths." Again we might ask, is this verse referring to general moral guidelines or detailed guidance for our specific paths in life? The overall context of Psalm 23 indicates that the promise involves more than just general moral guidelines. Obviously, an all-knowing and all-powerful God can generally encourage all of us along godly paths.
The idea that this verse only refers to general assurances seems to fall short in light of the rest of Scripture. However, when it says God will “show you which path to take,” what does that mean? Is this more of a general assurance that faithful believers will be shown godly direction in their spiritual walk? Or is this a promise that each individual will receive specific direction in his or her major life choices? Proverbs 3:5-6 may be one of the most frequently quoted Scripture about God's guidance.
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