What should I expect with a coaching and counseling practice with a name that includes Crossroads……I should expect people to call who are at a crossroad in their life and need guidance on what to do!!!
Since this is a constant theme I wanted to re-post a post I wrote for my blog The CrossRoads We Encounter. This blog focuses more on spiritual direction and counseling issues, but this is obviously an issue facing Christian business owners regularly. I know I face it! Anyway, here is a reminder about What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do!
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What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do
How in the world I got here I don’t know, but now what? How do I handle this? What should I do? Which direction is right?
We all feel this way at times.
A man working at a job that puts him in ethical dilemmas regularly.
A woman whose husband has cheated on her.
A family hurt by the leadership in their church.
An athlete with an injury that ends his career.
A friend who was betrayed by the one closest to her.
Do I stay or do I go? Do I fight or do I submit? How can I possibly forgive? That door is closed, now what do I do?
It is frustrating when we are at a crossroad in life and answers aren’t forthcoming. Well intentioned friends just tell us what they think we want to hear. Others ask what God is telling me and I have no idea. Sometimes the advice I get from two Christian confidants is polar opposite from each other.
The bottom line for me is that when I don’t know what to do…
When there is no clear black and white, right or wrong, answer….
When I am obsessing and trying to control the outcome….
I know at this point the one thing I have to do no matter what.
I move towards Jesus.
I try to focus on my relationship with Him.
I don’t just pray about the problem at hand.
I actually try to put it out of my mind for a bit and just reconnect with God.
The closer I am to God, the more peace I feel, even in chaos. When I am spending time with God, which for me is journaling, praying, reading the bible, listening to worship songs, or listening to Christian speakers, I start to gain clarity.
Where I thought there was no clear God answer, many times one will surface.
When I felt I couldn’t take the hard path, my strength is renewed.
When I move closer to God, soon my clenched fists of control begin to relax and give up my burden to Him.
I believe there is a spiritual solution to everything.
Moving closer to God…
….protects our relationship with Him from the distractions of our suffering world.
….renews our patience to not over react or regret our actions.
….gives us new perspectives of what we can and can’t handle.
….allows the Holy Spirit to guide our words and actions.
….and many times does result in answered prayer. (Especially when praying for His will.)
When you don’t know what to do, do the one thing you know you should always do…
….move towards Jesus!
Moving toward Jesus fixes everythign. It sounds simplistic, even stupid to those who havent. but once you do, you find that it suddenly all makes perfect sense.
Great post.