“The LORD is my shepherd,…He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1…3)
God promises to lead you, and He will lead you. But, God is not some super-genie you can control by saying, “If the next stoplight is green when I reach it, then I should buy the new car.”
There are hundreds of examples in the Bible of God’s leading. These include through prayer, by Scripture, through the words of another, through laws, by angels, through circumstance, and even (Numbers 22) by a donkey who spoke. There is even a book in the Bible where God is seen to control events without ever being mentioned (Esther).
We like to say, “I felt led to do it.”
We like to say, “God opened the door.”
And we like to point to a verse in the Bible and say it “spoke to us” in some special way.
Acting on some feeling can be dangerous. Trying to interpret circumstances can easily confuse life challenges with closed doors. And, taking a verse out of context to support some decision can be treating God’s Word like a magic book.
But God’s Word is there to lead us, His Spirit moves our hearts, and He is the blessed controller of all things (Romans 8:28). The best approach when seeking God’s leading or when it comes to you unsought, is to make sure all three line up.
Spirit – Signs – Scripture
Like the blue lights that mark runways on the approach, when these three line up you know which way to go.
Learn to listen to God’s small voice in your conscience and mind. Watch what is happening around you. Know the Scriptures so as to be able to distinguish godliness from the false.
And above all else, talk about what you are considering with someone whose spiritual maturity you respect.