The God of the Bible is characterized as the God who speaks. His words are designed to forge a relationship with people. The scriptures consistently declare God’s words of encouragement and guidance:

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea” (Isaiah 48:17-18).

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

These verses from the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah paint a portrait of God and the nature of His relationship with us: He teaches us. He guides us. He is with us. He upholds us. He has plans for us. He loves us.

Because of who He is, which He has clearly revealed to us, we can trust Him. He is available for our cries for help (see Isaiah 30:19), and we can trust His guidance. “Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left” (Isaiah 30:21). Our loving Guide never fails us.

Take time to pray to thank God for who He is. Ask God to guide you in the choices you must make.

Discuss together or reflect on these questions:

Which of the verses listed above is your favorite?

What speaks to you in that description?

What are some methods God uses to guide you?

Read John 14:15-18. Who is your constant Advocate, Companion, and Guide? How have you experienced His guidance?

If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

No, I will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you.

On what decision in your life do you need God’s guidance?

Luke 18:1-8 suggests that we should appeal to God with persistence and patience.

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or card about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

Consider these passages for further study on guidance:

Psalm 33:8 Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.

Proverbs 20:24 The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?

James 1:5-8

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

I am grateful for Gary Chapman’s guidance on putting together these thoughts. It helps see ways that the Lord put in place to trust him so that we want him to guide us. Share ways that you allow the Lord to guide you.