When You Don’t Know What God Wants Learning to Trust the One Who Leads One Step at a Time

Over the course of seventy years, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve prayed, “Lord, just tell

me what to do.” And sometimes I wasn’t asking a lot; I just wanted clarity more than anything. Clarity about work, relationships, direction, or the next decision. I usually wasn’t looking for a spotlight from heaven, just a little certainty in the fog. If you’ve ever sat in that tension, wondering what God wants and wishing He’d speak a little louder, you’re in familiar company. 

So, what is a solid biblical response to our sincere desire to know God’s will? 

Paul gives us a surprising starting place in Romans 12:1–2. He doesn’t tell us to decode God’s will like a puzzle. Instead, he tells us to offer ourselves to God, to let Him renew and reshape our minds. In other words, clarity doesn’t begin with knowing the plan. It begins with knowing the Person. Trust comes before direction. 

The problem, of course, is that we often want God to hand us a detailed map. But the God of the Bible rarely gives us the whole picture at once. Instead of a map, He gives us His presence. Instead of full instructions, He gives us the next step. God’s will tends to appear gradually. It appears as we walk with Him, not before we start walking. 

Is that frustrating sometimes? Yes, of course! We want certainty. We want the guarantee that we’re choosing correctly. But Paul describes God’s will as “good… pleasing… perfect,” which reminds us that His will is less about the specific place we land and more about the kind of person we’re becoming along the way. God cares about formation even more than location. 

There have been moments when God’s will felt nothing like what I wanted. Plans I thought were right fell apart. Opportunities I prayed for never opened. At the time, I felt disappointed and confused. But later, I could see how God was protecting me—from decisions I wasn’t ready for, or paths that would have stretched me in the wrong direction. What looked like silence was actually mercy. 

Paul says we discern God’s will as our minds are renewed, and that renewal happens slowly. It comes through Scripture, through prayer, through the quiet work of the Spirit shaping your instincts and adjusting your desires. It’s a little like learning someone’s voice. At first, it’s unfamiliar, but over time, you begin to recognize it more quickly, even in the middle of noise. 

And sometimes, even after praying and seeking counsel and reading Scripture, you still won’t feel certain. That’s okay. God doesn’t expect perfect clarity. He expects trust. When your heart is surrendered, and your desire is to honor Him, you can take the next step with confidence. God knows how to redirect His children. His will is not a tightrope; it’s a path with room to breathe. 

If you’re wrestling with a decision today, pray something simple like this: Lord, guide me step by step. Shape my heart so I can recognize Your leading, and help me trust You more than my fear. That kind of prayer opens your heart to the quiet work God is already doing. 

And I think it’s important to say: when God teaches you something along the way, share it with someone else. Your story of waiting, trusting, or being redirected might be the encouragement another believer desperately needs. 

Trusting God’s will isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about walking closely with the One who already holds tomorrow.