Two Seemingly Contradictory Bible Verses

When you make a decision, how do you know when to act and when to wait on God?

Two of my favorite Bible verses are Joshua 1:9 and Isaiah 40:31:

• Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:31)
• Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

These two verses can seem contradictory. The first verse says to wait for God, whereas the second verse says to be courageous and go! It can be frustratingly confusing sometimes, trying to figure out when to do one and when to do the other. We don’t want to get ahead of God, but we also don’t want to delay if He wants us to move.

The key is to realize that the context of the first Bible verse is for when we haven't yet heard from God, while the second Bible verse is for when we do know what God wants us to do.

When God Clearly and Immediately Says No

When making decisions, the first step, of course, is to ask God. God promises to guide us, and He always fulfills His promises:

• Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Shortly after my husband Ron and I moved to Florida, we joined a newly formed couples’ small group, which I helped to lead. A year later, I was also leading a women’s small group, and I had started to be very active in our church’s women’s ministry. God also brought me more coaching clients, and I sensed God’s prompting to do more blogging.

In order for me to have more time to focus, Ron and I started praying for guidance about whether God wanted us to drop out of the couples’ small group.

During the next three days, the same Bible verse appeared in three of our devotional readings: “[Let us] not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” (Hebrews 10:25)

Of course, the context of this Bible verse was different than our context, because we certainly were not neglecting worshipping and serving with our brothers and sisters in Christ. But we took this as God’s clear word to us that we should not leave the couples’ small group at that time—although later, we did, after we had fulfilled God’s purposes in the group.

Below are common signs that God is clearly and immediately saying no:

• God keeps bringing the same confirming Bible passage to you, as in my story about the couples’ small group.
• The way forward is literally and clearly blocked, i.e., you don’t get the job you applied for.
• You feel a check in your spirit, so that moving forward just “doesn’t feel right.”

If God definitely wants you to do something different than what you are thinking, and if you ask Him for guidance and listen for Him to speak, He will let you know if it is not right for you.

When God Clearly and Immediately Says Yes

Sometimes, when we ask God about a decision, He immediately and clearly confirms our prayer.

On the second day of a vacation in Washington, D.C., my husband, seemingly out of nowhere, asked me if I had thought about retiring. I initially bristled because I wasn’t ready to retire, but then Ron clarified that what he was really asking was whether I wanted to continue to live in the Pittsburgh area or move somewhere else, even sooner than retirement. Both of our hearts and heads immediately started spinning with excitement and wonder. We immediately cut short our D.C. vacation. Less than two weeks later, we signed an agreement to build a house in Florida—and five months after that, we moved into our new Florida home.

From the moment my husband brought up the idea, and as we explored the Florida community where we eventually moved, as we sold our home in Pennsylvania and bought one in Florida, we experienced God’s confirmation and encouragement. The clincher was that we closed on both homes within a week of each other. You can read the entire story about our move by clicking here.

Below are common signs that God is clearly and immediately saying yes:

• The Holy Spirit gives you immediate excitement and peace about the decision.
• Doors open so that the decision is easy to make.
• You see God’s providential help and encouragement all along the way. 

When God so clearly and immediately says yes to our prayers about a decision, that is the time to act upon Joshua 1:9, one of the verses I mentioned at the beginning of this blog:

• Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

When God has obviously given the go-ahead, go forward courageously and powerfully, in the joy of His blessings!

When God Doesn’t Clearly and Immediately Say Anything

It would be great if God always clearly and immediately said either yes or no to our questions about decision-making. But indeed, that is often not what happens.

When God doesn’t give us an immediately clear answer, we might worry that He is speaking but we’re not hearing Him—and if we are resisting His guidance, then we need to address that. But often, we sincerely beseech Him, “God, please just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it!” And yet, God remains silent.

We pray some more, and God is still silent. We pray some more, and we might even fast. But again, no answer. After months, or even years, we might even start to think that God has forgotten about us, or we’re disappointed because He doesn’t care how important this decision is to us. Or we might think He’s moved on to more talented or deserving people.

Especially if what we’re praying for is extremely important to us, it’s agonizing not to know if God will ever fulfill our desire—which is so strong that we can’t give up, but now seems so unlikely that even to think about it hurts our hearts.

Most of the time, when we pray for something and God doesn’t immediately answer, He is doing one of two things:

1. God plans to say yes to our request, but He’s giving us time to grow into our ability to handle it well.
   
   Below is an example of that:
   
   For three years, I yearned to leave my college teaching career to become one of the pastors of our church. The lead pastor of my church wisely made no promises, but he did all he could to mentor and encourage me. Both of us knew that, whether or not I eventually became a pastor, I would grow phenomenally in my character and spiritual gifts, so it was a win-win situation.
   
   Nevertheless, it was rough, not knowing if my dream would ever come to pass.
   
   But slowly, after God grew my character, skills, and experience, I did indeed make that career transition.
2. God plans to say no to our request, but He’s giving us time to realize that He will grow us into something even better than what we asked for.
   
   Below is an example of that:
   
   After I had been a pastor for 7 years, I prayed that God would continue to open additional doors. However, more doors closed than opened, I started doubting God’s blessings for my life and ministry, and I eventually had a health crisis that prompted me to resign.
   
   However, out of that angst and supposed failure came my current Christian calling role. I am now a Certified Professional Life Coach, specializing in helping people find and fulfill their Christian calling, through phone-in coaching, writing, and speaking.
   
   God never did say yes to my desire to go to the next level as a pastor. But He grew me into a Christian calling role that is an even better fit for who I am and what I do best. Looking back, I’m so glad He did not answer my prayer as I requested!

During these times of agonized waiting—when God says neither yes nor no—we need to persevere, trusting Him for our encouragement and strength, which He promises in the other verse that I mentioned early in this blog:

• Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:31)

We also need to keep believing that He has not forgotten us, and He will indeed eventually say yes to our request, or He will shift us to something even better:

• The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Numbers 23:19)
• For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

When God Says, “You Decide!”

Sometimes, when God doesn’t clearly and immediately answer, He’s leaving it up to you to decide!

Why in the world would He ever do that?! After all, He’s God. He knows what’s best. Why doesn’t He just tell you what’s best so you can go and do it?!

Because sometimes, God’s focus is not on what He wants you to do but on who He wants you to become. When He gives you freedom to decide, He affirms who you have become, and He trusts you to choose and do well. Whichever way you decide is fine with Him. He’s just inviting you along for the fun!

• Jesus…said…“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” (John 14:23)

Below are common signs that God is giving you the freedom to decide:

• God doesn’t say yes to your request, but you don’t have a check in your heart from the Holy Spirit not to do it.
• What you’re thinking about doing excites you, is not against Scripture, and fits who you have recently become as you’ve grown in Christ and in your calling.
• You’re probably not exactly sure how you’ll do what you’ve been thinking about doing, but you’ve grown enough to believe that you can indeed do it with God’s help.

You are currently reading Blog 30 of what I call Challenge. Challenge 44 is my writing of 44 blogs in 90 business days: 30 blogs during the first 30 days, 10 blogs during the second 30 days, and 10 blogs during the last 30 days. Each 30-day segment has specific purposes for my own personal Christian growth and my growth as a writer.

I got the idea for Challenge 44 through an online blogging course. The minute I got the idea, I prayed and asked God whether or not I should do it. Instead of giving me a direct answer, God engaged me in conversation about it. I recorded that conversation in my journal on my computer, which is my regular practice.

What strikes me about that written conversation is that God did not focus on whether or not I should do Challenge 44, or even how I should do it. He prompted me with questions about what excited me about it, how I could do it with Him, how I felt and what I thought about it, how I would grow personally and professionally, etc.

I told God that I’d love to do Challenge 44, but that I was nervous too, because I’ve never written 30 blogs in 30 straight business days. And yet, I believed I could do it with God’s blessing and help.

I got the strong impression that God was not telling me to do it, but He was enjoying my enthusiasm for doing it, and He encouraged me that I could indeed do it if I wanted to, and that He would be with me, encouraging me all the way!

Now, here I am today, having completed the first 30 days! WooHoo! And what a wonderful ride it has been! I’m having such joy in the freedom God gives me to be who He has created me to be and do what He has created me to do!

God Will Not Just Leave You Hanging

Since you’re reading this blog, you probably do want God’s guidance about something.

And also—since you’re reading this blog—God probably hasn’t yet given you a clear and immediate answer.

But you can be sure that God will not leave you hanging. He loved you so much that He gave His Son to die for you. He has not abandoned you, and you will always be valuable to Him.

God will answer you at the right time in the right way, as promised in the Bible:

• If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

God is working His purposes out in you and for you:

• Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)

As Christians, we all go through dark valleys when it seems like we have lost our purpose, or God has given up on us. But those valleys are crucibles where God makes us strong, grows our character, and equips us for the next great stage of our Christian calling.

• And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

God will indeed complete the work He has begun in you, as He has promised!

A few years ago, I wondered if I had missed a particular window of opportunity in my calling. Then I clearly heard God say, “I am God. I am able to get through to you to tell you anything I want to tell you. You have not missed it.”

That was a wonderful relief!

The same is true of you. You need not worry that you must live in fear of missing something God really wants to say to you. He is bigger than your fallible hearing! If He wants to tell you something, He is perfectly capable of letting you know at the right time!

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