God wants to guide you through life.

The whole history of Israel and the history of the church revolves around the leading and direction of God.

What God did for His people during the Exodus is a beautiful event. God led the people by a cloud during the day and by fire at night.

Later, after the establishment of the Tabernacle, God led the people with the cloud which symbolized his glorious presence. As the cloud hovered over the Tabernacle the people remained in the camp. When the cloud moved, they moved. God led His people all along the way they should go.

God wants to lead His people today.

What should we do to receive God’s guidance?

First, our motives must be pure. Jesus promised in the Sermon on the Mount that the pure in heart are blessed.

Each beatitude came with a promise. The promise for the pure in heart is the greatest of all – “they shall see God.”

Our desire for guidance cannot be for personal advantage nor to receive the praise of others. When we are thinking about ourselves, we simply cannot find God’s purpose concerning us. Our hearts must be pure.

Second, your will must be surrendered. Only as we seek God and His glory by surrendering our desires and our will to him can we receive God’s guidance.

Maybe you have a hard time with your will. Most people do. Concerning the will, F.B Meyer gave probably his most famous advice. Most of us struggle with the will. Meyer said: “If you are not willing, confess that you are willing to be made willing. Hand yourself over to Him to work in you, to will and to do of His own good pleasure.”

In my own personal experience, I have struggled with my will, but I have found victory when I confess that I am willing to be made willing.

Third, seek information for your mind. God has given us our minds, and he wants us to use them for his glory.

God will speak in the results of deliberate consideration as we weigh and balance the pros and cons as we seek His will.

Fourth, we must be much in prayer for guidance.

Think of the ways that God tells us to seek his will. For example Psalm 27:11″ teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.”

One good form of prayer is to ask God to close all doors and shut every way that is not according to his will. Acts 16 shows Paul and Silas along with Luke seeking to turn in different directions but the Holy Spirit closing those doors until finally they see the vision of the man of Macedonia. God used closed doors to open the more excellent way.

Finally, wait on the gradual unfolding of God’s plan.

F.B. Meyer emphasized that God’s impressions within and His Word without would be corroborated by his providence around. He counseled that we quietly wait until these three focus into one.

“If you do not know what you ought to do, stand still until you do. And when the time comes for action, circumstances like glowworm’s will sparkle along your path. You will become so sure that you are right, when God’s three witnesses concur, that you could not be surer though an angel beckoned you on.”

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