Guided life: The nature and method of God's guidance
“For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me and guide me.”
Psalm 31:3
In the Old and New Testaments, we have wonderful promises of guidance and examples of those who sought and found the Lord’s will for their lives. We also have a number of very clear statements that show us our need of guidance.
These examples, and many others, remind us and establish the fact God does guide His people. Let us now consider the nature and the method of God’s guidance, not only then, but still today.
The nature of God's guidance
A. God’s guidance is divine guidance. Psalm 16:11. We need to stress this in order to emphasize its quality. There can be no possibility of a mistake in the guidance which God gives to His children.
B. God’s Guidance is clear guidance. Psalm 27:11. The psalmist prayed to be led in a plain path, and the Lord has promised just that to us if we seek His guidance. Proverbs 3:6.
C. God’s guidance is continual guidance. Psalm 48:14. His guidance is for our whole life, until the Lord comes again or until we go home to be with Him. He has promised in His Word that He will never leave us nor forsake us; the key is that we don’t forsake Him.
D. God’s guidance is sometimes strange guidance to our way of thinking. Exodus 13:18. God’s greatest concern for you and for me is the molding of our character, according to His plan (Isaiah 55:8-9). It may seem strange, but it is always right and it is always the best. But how does He guide us?
The method of God's guidance
A. He guides by His Word. Psalm 73:24. The Bible is our chart and compass, our guidebook for the whole of our earthly journey. It is to be the light to our path.
B. He guides us by His spirit. How wonderfully God guides us by His Holy Spirit. Sometimes He constrains us, at other times He restrains us, and at other times we sense His urging within our hearts that only you can describe as an individual.
C. He guides us by His servants. Proverbs 11:14. The Lord will often use the wise council of Godly, trusted friends, parents and spiritual leaders to help guide us.
D. He guides us by His providences. Isaiah 30:21. He calls us by what we call circumstances. The Lord will speak to our hearts, and either open or close doors.
“He leadeth me, O blessed thought, O words with heavenly comfort fraught. Whate’er I do, where’er I be, still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me”.
The guided life − what a joy God would do this for us.
Harry Strachan is pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Ashland.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: How and when God guides his people
