The Best Way to Make Big Decisions
Curled up tightly with my head between my knees, I sat on the floor.
“Now.”
That’s all I heard.
I had been praying for years, asking God to place me in a full-time ministry position. I knew it would come, I just didn’t know when.
I was in a fruitful season of life while working in the golf industry when I heard that three-letter word loud and clear. I was in a career where I managed a golf course, led a team, taught golf lessons, and played lots of golf. It was kind of a dream setup, really. Things were going so well that the company I worked for offered me the opportunity to run my own golf course in San Diego, CA. It was literally a dream come true. My wife and I had always hoped to live by the beach, and this was our chance! I was given an offer I couldn’t refuse.
Before I decided to take the job in San Diego, I knew the decision had to be taken to prayer. With any big decision in life (including a dream job), I consult God before making a final decision.
So, I prayed:
“Lord, thank You for this opportunity! Is this from You? Are You sending me to San Diego?”
…silence…
“Lord, if this is from You, please speak clearly to me about this. Do I take this opportunity?”
…silence…
“Wait, what? Are you kidding me, God? Nothing? Just like that, I am getting the silent treatment?”
…silence…
I reminded myself:
“He is faithful. He always has been, He always will be.”
I knew He would direct me. I continued to plead for Him to show me the next step. And you know what? All I got was silence.
The more I prayed, the more I started to feel sick to my stomach. Deep within my soul, I knew the answer. But I wasn’t going to give in, not yet, at least.
So, I prayed.
I stood silent.
I prayed some more.
Sat quiet, and still nothing…
As I sat in the silence, I felt a stir deep within me. There was no audible voice from God, but there was an unsettling I couldn’t shake.
This job wasn’t right for me. I just knew it.
I discussed things with my wife and we prayed together. We came to an agreement, a confused agreement, but an agreement nonetheless. I wasn’t taking this job. It made no logical sense to us, but we knew it was the right decision. We had a deep sense that the peace of God was not with us for this new job opportunity.
I’ll never forget the lunch that came soon after. The leader of our organization invited me to a trendy fish house down by the San Diego shoreline. Every table in this place was full. We had reserved a seat during the busy lunch hour to finalize the job offer and celebrate the new season ahead. We had a good amount of “small talk,” and then, as the food arrived, my boss finally brought up the job offer and was excited to hear my final thoughts before we moved forward. I looked up from an overly expensive plate of fresh-caught salmon and steamed vegetables, right into his eyes, and said, “I am sure this sounds crazy, but I just don’t feel good about this. My wife and I prayed, and we do not think we are supposed to move to San Diego for this opportunity.”
He sat back, released a deep sigh, and just looked at me, puzzled. “Well, what do you want to do then?” I now laugh at how ridiculous it must have looked, but in that moment, with a straight face, I looked at him blankly, shrugged my shoulders, and went back to the fish.
Luckily, I had done such a good job with the company that they didn’t want to just let things go to waste and fire me. Over the weeks and months that followed, we explored various job opportunities within the company for me. The golf course in San Diego wasn’t the right step, but we were confident that something else would be the perfect fit.
Until things went bad.
Suddenly, every day at work became frustrating for me. The job I loved was becoming an overwhelming pain. There was an uneasiness about things, and my peace dwindled more each day.
The only time I felt any joy or peace was when I was serving the youth ministry at our home church. I loved serving and helping the church grow, and I thought that one day I could make it a career. I often prayed and asked God to reveal to me when the time was right for me to pursue full-time ministry.
After a particularly tough day at the golf course, I knew I needed to come home and spend some time in prayer. So, I did what I knew, I got down low on the floor and sat with my head between my knees, blocking out all other distractions, and I prayed, “God fill me with joy and peace. I love what I am doing, but for some reason, I am irritable at work, and I feel like my joy is gone. What’s happening? I know that I have a heart and passion for serving in full-time church ministry. Are you leading me towards this? When do you want me to pursue full-time ministry with my life?”
I expected silence. Instead, I heard:
“Now.”
That’s it.
“Now.”
I was terrified. How could this be? How can I make this happen? What steps do I take? Where do I go? Are you saying to go right now? Or soon? What about my current job and the new position they’re trying to find for me?
I think there were 137 more questions after those. And can you guess how God responded?
Silence.
All I knew to do was follow what He said, “Now.” I needed to take the next step towards working in church ministry full-time.
So, I did what any foolish person would do with a bright future in their current business. I met with my boss the next day and said, “I think I need to leave this job and get into full-time church ministry.”*
He looked at me, turned his head a little sideways, and reacted like he couldn’t believe what I said. I could tell he was wondering if I had officially lost my mind. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Ok. Are you sure about this?”
I said, “Yes. This is what I need to do.”
I made a decision, and in that moment, I was scared and unsure of what was to come. But deep down, I knew I was making the right decision. God had told me that “now” was the time. What followed was a whirlwind of change that brought me into full-time ministry within the next six months. It would never have happened if I had taken the San Diego job opportunity. It happened because I decided to spend time trying to hear from God.
Making the right decisions in life is not always easy, and often, the most significant ones require a great deal of faith. It will always feel much easier just to stay put and avoid taking any risks.
The good news is that God is always with you, and He is faithful to respond and guide you. Even if it’s not the way we expect, He will always be your faithful guide. Are you willing to bring your decisions to Him?
Not every decision we make in life will be as big as the one in my story. Nonetheless, I believe that it is essential to take time to process each potential life-changing decision with intentionality, prayer, and guidance. Don’t go at it alone. Bring God into the decision-making process to help guide you.
Do you think God is trying to speak to you? Do you think He is trying to lead you into the work and life that is truly satisfying?
I promise you this: God is willing to speak to you. He wants to guide and give you confidence about what He created you to fulfill in this lifetime. Your job is to acknowledge this and do your best to listen to His voice.
Hearing from God is a practice that takes a lifetime to master. Many resources have been created, and many books have been written that will help you understand how to discern and hear God’s voice. There is no perfect way to hear from Him, but you must try. Begin by spending some quiet time alone, sharing your thoughts and concerns with God. Speak these thoughts out loud or write them down. Be open during this time, and let God start to speak to you in whatever way you sense Him doing it.
If you’re struggling or feeling like you are getting nowhere, consider asking for help from people you trust and who have a relationship with God. Let them share with you how they hear from Him, and allow them to offer resources and advice that have guided them successfully along the way.
No matter how you begin to hear from God. Remember that His feedback will be the most trusted and best feedback you can ever follow. God will begin to speak to you and reveal things for your life
One last thought on hearing from God and trying to make the right decisions:
You won’t always make the right decision. There will be inevitable learning in the decision-making process. Sometimes you will hear from God, and other times you might misinterpret what you hear. Just know that because you made a decision that may have been “wrong,” you can always make new decisions to make things “right.” Trust your instincts, trust your gut, trust those close to you, and above all, trust God. If you remember this and continually put it into your decision-making practice, you will begin to make the “right” decision more often.
Keep practicing, keep listening, and keep striving to make the right decisions as you live a life directed towards your unique purpose.
The BEST is yet to come!
-Joe
P.S. I know how hard it is to hear and discern the voice of God. If you are in a season where you think God might be leading into something new, but aren’t totally sure, I’d love to help if I can. Grab a spot on my calendar here: Book a Meeting with Joe.
I’d love to be a Tusted Voice if you need one!
*A little disclaimer here: if God has not made it clear for you to do something like this, DON’T! Please ensure that this is what you believe God is doing, and ask those close to you to confirm this feeling. I brought this to my wife and close mentor, and they both felt that there was peace around this decision, and it was time for me to take the next step.