Raise your hand if you’ve ever stood at life’s crossroads, saying to yourself, Which way should I go? What if I choose the wrong path and mess up my life?
My hand is raised.
I struggle to choose a restaurant on a night out — so imagine my indecision when the stakes are high. For much of my early adulthood, I sought clarity by making pro-and-con lists so lengthy that each one probably needed its own table of contents.
But when I met Jesus, that started to change.
Early in my faith, I told a friend about my decision-making struggles. I knew I needed to stop writing dissertation-length lists and surrender to God, but I couldn’t figure out practically how to do it.
The friend gave me a simple prayer:
Dear Lord: Your will, Your way. Amen.
“Really?” I asked. “That simple?”
Then I prayed that prayer. I still pray it today. I’ve learned that God loves it — and He will answer it, so I need to be ready to obey when He does. Even if it’s uncomfortable. Even if it’s contrary to my own desires.
Exhibit A: Ananias in Acts 9. The Lord gave Ananias a clear vision telling him to prayerfully lay hands on Saul, a frightening dude who persecuted believers in Jesus. Ananias wasn’t too keen on the idea.
“‘But Lord,’ exclaimed Ananias, ‘I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!’” (Acts 9:13, NLT).
You can practically hear Ananias’ voice shaking.
“But the Lord said, ‘Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel’” (Acts 9:15).
So Ananias went, walking straight into the center of God’s will.
Ananias didn't know Saul had recently met Jesus Himself! Saul was temporarily blind after this life-changing encounter, but immediately when Ananias laid hands on him, scales fell from Saul’s eyes.
If Ananias had disobeyed, God could have made another way. But because of his obedience, Ananias got to play a key role in a milestone moment of the Christian faith: Saul, aka Paul, ultimately became a world-changing messenger for Jesus who spread the gospel to the nations.
We might not have a vision like Ananias did or hear God’s voice audibly, but as believers, we have His Spirit in us. We have His Word to lean on. We can seek Christian mentors and counsel. And we have a God who promises to give us direction.
When we pray, Your will, Your way, it won’t always be easy. But like Ananias, we can experience the peace of knowing this life-altering truth:
The best place to stand is in the middle of God’s will.
Dear Lord, give me the voice to pray this prayer in moments of indecision: Your will, Your way. And then grant me the courage to obey. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
