“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Hebrews 11:8-10 NIV
“What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3 NIV
How do you say YES to God when you don’t know what you are saying YES to?
We all face uncertain seasons in life. But the unspoken truth we must grapple with is that every moment is uncertain. If we are honest with ourselves, we can admit that not one of us knows what the next moment holds. Yet, there are times when we are simply more aware of that uncertainty. We feel it and it unsettles us. That’s where Tom and I are right now.
What is our first reaction when we feel unstable? We search for stability. We attempt to find something we can control. It’s okay to admit it. The desire to control the unknown is human. Ask Adam and Eve.
And what did they find? The only One who controls the unknown is God Himself. And He is not willing to give up that control to you and me because He can see everything and we can’t. That is the simple unsettling fact. No matter how much we want to know the unknown, we can’t.
But: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.” Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV
So, how do you and I keep our minds focused on God and trust Him? How do we say YES when we don’t know what we are saying YES to?
Here’s the YES adventure framework applied to that question.
(More on the framework in my book. See below)
Ask – Go to God first. Ask Him what He is doing. Ask Him to remind you of who He is and what He has promised you. Ask Him what He wants to do – in you, through you, for you.
Aim – Focus on doing what you already know. Choose to believe what you have read about Him. Recall what you know about His character and His promises. Remember how he has come through in the past. What verses apply now? What has He promised you? What does His word say?
Act –Set goals that align with your choice to trust God. It’s not going to be easy. Make a plan for how you will live out what you know. Choose verses to focus on. Engage a trusted friend to hold you accountable for walking out your plan.
Achieve – What is it you want to achieve? How will you know you have achieved it? Like Abraham, you want to believe God and walk in obedience to what He has said. When it comes right down to it, what God most wants from you and me is that we love and trust Him. You’ll know you’ve achieved that through peace and connection with God during your unknown seasons.
What Tom and I have learned over the years is that God can be trusted with the unknown. There has never been a time when He didn’t come through. It may not have been the way we hoped or expected, but He has always shown up. We have learned to trust His character even when we can’t see how things are going to turn out.
What does it look like to say YES when you don’t know what you are saying YES to?
Ultimately, it’s about WHO, not WHAT you are saying YES to. You can trust God with your YES.
Key Question: How do you say YES to God when you don’t know what you are saying YES to?
A Scripture to Consider: “What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3 NIV
A YES Challenge: Write out scriptures and promises you know God has spoken to you. Place them somewhere you will see them regularly throughout your uncertain times.
Prayer: Lord, in this season of uncertainty I choose to trust You. I know that I can be at peace because I believe You will come through. You will take care of all the details that are clouded right now. You see behind the clouds. You’ve got this. I say YES to You, to who You are in my life. You are my rock. You are the eternal rock. You have always come through for us, and You won’t stop now. Blessed be Your name forever! Amen.
My book The YES Adventure: Transform Your Life with One Word is almost a year old! Check it out or encouragement, inspiration, and more about God-centered goal-setting. Please leave a review on Amazon! That will help other people find the book and receive guidance and encouragement in their God-centered goal setting.
If you are stuck and would like a partner to help you process your next step, I’d love to help. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary coaching session here.