How can I know what God's timing is?

Thank God, it is not so. He can, in His own perfect way, give us the certainty of His mind, in any given case; and, without that certainty, we should never move. Our Lord Christ — all homage to His peerless Name! — can intimate His mind to His servant as to where He would have him to go and what He would have him to do; and no true servant will ever think of moving or acting without such intimation. We should never move or act in uncertainty. If we are not sure, let us be quiet and wait. Very often it happens that we harass and fret ourselves about movements that God would not have us to make at all. A person once said to a friend, "I am quite at a loss to know which way to turn." Then, "Don't turn at all" was the friend's wise reply.

But here an all-important moral point comes in, and that is, our whole condition of soul. This, we may rest assured, has very much to do with the matter of guidance. It is "the meek he will guide in judgement and teach his way." We must never forget this. If only we are humble and self-distrusting, if we wait on our God, in simplicity of heart, uprightness of mind, and honesty of purpose, He will, most assuredly, guide us. But it will never do to go and ask counsel of God in a matter about which our mind is made up, or our will is at work.

Now our question is, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? What wilt Thou have me to do with my time, my strength, my money, my ability?" "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct they paths" (Prov. 2:6). But the direction must come from the word of God. Sometimes we do not know what to do — we want to do what is right and we don't know what is right. Well, you lack wisdom, don't you? and "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God" (James 1:5). It shall be told you, "This is the way, walk ye in it" (Isa. 30:21).

Some now gone home have impressed the advice, "If you do not know what to do, stand still." Wait on the Lord — do not act for the sake of acting. Saul wrecked his whole life through not waiting. If I were to say, "I will be with you at the seventh hour," I should mean any time between 7 and 8 o'clock; Saul interpreted Samuel's appointed time in the very narrowest sense. He said he "forced himself" (1 Sam. 13:12); but men do not need forcing to take their own way. If we wait on the Lord in subjection of will, His guidance is sure to come. Over and over again have I known a scripture come very clearly to my mind in a case of perplexity. Not that the Bible is a dictionary, to tell me what I am to do at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning, for instance. Yet it does tell me. Do not seek to please yourself — that is a very sure guide. "Even Christ pleased not himself" (Rom. 15:3). Even in the Lord's work there is a danger of doing what it pleases me to do, and of leaving what I do not like. What is my motive? First I am to please the Lord — am I doing this in the name of the Lord Jesus? Then I am to please my neighbour, but only to edification; otherwise it becomes mere man-pleasing. "If I yet pleased men," says the apostle, "I should not be the servant of Christ" (Gal. 1:10). How can I best use any ability I may have for the comfort and upbuilding of the saints? These are questions we do well to ask ourselves.

those we know are living in close communion with the Lord, that we find further help? (6) However. we have to compare counsel and advice from others with the Word. and with the leading of the Spirit in our lives. In the same way we have to check our own thoughts. David's prayer in Psalm 139, when we make it our own, is a real help in this process. (7) This means practically also that we have to take time, in order to come to a conclusion regarding God's will in our lives. Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength! (Isa. 40:31).

If we must make a rapid decision as to the “yes” or “no” of a certain matter it is wise to judge ourselves thoroughly so as to be content with either answer. Then lay the matter before the Lord. He may be fully depended on to give calm peace in regard to the decision to be made. He may in fact give no peace whatever in regard to the opposite decision. Yet even then we should not say we know what the will of the Lord is in reference to the matter; but we may have confidence in Him that He will see that we prove His will in experience.

If we must make a rapid decision as to the "yes" or "no" of a certain matter, it is wise to judge ourselves thoroughly so as to be content with either answer. Then lay the matter before the Lord. He may be fully depended on to give calm peace in regard to the decision to make. He may in fact give no peace whatever in regard to the opposite decision. Yet even then we should not say we know what the will of the Lord is in reference to the matter; but we may have confidence in Him that He will see that we prove His will in experience.

There are some who are often very positive in regard to these things, saying, for instance, that they know it is God's will that they go to a certain place. But if scripture does not say so, they do not know this beforehand. Why should they tell others they know it? This is only pride in their supposed powers of discernment. We are warned in James 4:13 that all such boasting as this is evil. Time will prove whether it was God's will or not.

There is an area in which God has not specifically expressed His will in Scripture and which is yet a matter of concern to every believer. This has to do with our experience — not questions of moral right or wrong but rather of what to do in relation to particular matters: whether to buy or rent a house, whether to move to another place, whether to visit a certain place or certain people, whether to buy a certain car, whether or how to help a certain person in need, and many other such things. There are some who are often very positive in regard to these things, saying, for instance, that they know it is God's will that they go to a certain place. But if Scripture does not say so they do not know this beforehand. Why should they tell others they know it? This is only pride in their supposed powers of discernment. We are warned in James 4:13 that all such boasting as this is evil. Time will prove whether it was God's will or not.

As I said at the beginning, pray. Earnest prayer is vital, we must be guided by the Lord in these things - but even in this there is a danger. How often has someone starting down a foolish road quickly justified himself or herself by saying 'but I have prayed a lot about it.' We must realise that the flesh is weak and it is so easy to persuade ourselves that the Lord is sanctioning our actions because we want it that way when we have already committed ourselves to our own will. Patience is a safeguard while we pray. Wait patiently upon Him.

When we seek guidance from God about any matter, and He delays to give it, let us remain where we are and do nothing, as the Lord Jesus did in John 11:6. The opposite of this is seen in the Jewish captains who asked Jeremiah to seek guidance for them from Jehovah when they had already made up their minds to go down into Egypt. This story of flagrant hypocrisy is written in Jer. 42, and should be read carefully by everyone.

Sometimes you may be uncertain what to do next. Then also you should lift up your eyes; for irrevocable errors are easily made. It is better in every emergency to cry out like the prophet, "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walks to direct his steps." — Jer. 10:23, and continuing, say further like the Psalmist, "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer to thee, and will look up. And the divine response to this upward gaze will be, "I will guide thee with Mine eye. — Ps. 5:3; Ps. 32:8; Ps. 33:18.