5 More Verses to Pray When You Need to Know God’s Will
It can happen in the middle of the mess but it can also happen when the chaos is over and you’re left picking up the pieces of your life.
If you’re like me, questions take over your thoughts…
“What now?”
“What’s next?”
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Where do I go from here?”
Or maybe, your questions weren’t caused by a mess. Maybe you’re at one of those forks in the road and you’re not sure which one you should take.
The questions are the similar even though the circumstances may vary.
I want to consistently know God’s will and follow it but I have to admit there are times when it’s not as clear as I’d like it to be. And truthfully, I occasionally have times when wish I could see into the future … but then again, it’s probably better that I can’t.
Because…
Life is meant to be lived one day at a time.
I love the way The Message presents Matthew 6:34…
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”
I love that! And yet, I need to know how to make wise choices today as I prepare to live in God’s will tomorrow … right?
So, what do I do?
I pray to the One who not only knows the future … He’s already there. I pray to the One who not only knows the future … He knows my future.
And He knows yours as well!
Pray with me … I’m asking God to show me His will for today and guide me according to His plans and purposes tomorrow…
5 More Verses to Pray When You Need to Know God’s Will
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. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Jeremiah 29:11–13 (NIV)
Father, these words were spoken to Your children living in exile in Babylon. Talk about living in a mess! I can only imagine the questions they must have been asking.
And then You speak to them through Your prophet. “I know the plans I have for you … plans to give you a future and a hope.”
Hope! I pray for hope! I pray for You to guide and direct me. I pray that I might claim this promise personally. And with Your Spirit’s help, I will seek You “wholeheartedly.” Please help me love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength even when life is hard and distracting. Please help me humbly come to You in prayer and follow Your will as it is revealed in Your Word and fill me with hope as I anticipate a future that is already full of Your loving presence.
My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need. But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you wisdom without criticizing you.
James 1:2–5 (NCV)
Father, it’s hard to be joyful and patient when I’m confused and life is hard. Please forgive me for the times I get so focused on my “troubles” that my faith falls short. Please help me. I need wisdom … a generous supply of Your wisdom. Not quick solutions and easy answers but the truth that lasts.
Please strengthen me to trust and obey Your command to love … to think about myself less and depend on You more. And Father, please give me the hope and confidence I need to know today that You are always with me giving me everything I need.
Show me the right path, O Lord;
Psalm 25:4–5
point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by Your truth and teach me,
for You are the God who saves me.
All day long I put my hope in You.
Father, teach me and lead me. Give me a hunger and thirst to know You through the pages of Scripture and by the power of Your Spirit, help me trust, and obey without reservation. That will always be the “right path.”
Please bless me with the fruit of Your Spirit. Fill me with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Help me live the words of the Psalmist, “not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name goes all the glory for Your unfailing love and faithfulness.”
Let me hear of Your unfailing love each morning,
for I am trusting You.
Show me where to walk,
for I give myself to You.Teach me to do Your will,
Psalm 143:8 & 10
for You are my God.
May Your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing.
Father, help me to “be still” that I might hear Your gentle guiding whisper. I trust You to faithfully guide me in love. Help me, by the power of Your Spirit, to humbly offer myself as a “living sacrifice,” willing to do Your will as You reveal it to me. And when I don’t know what to do … help me live each day free of worry, simply doing what I know to do.
Teach me Your will as I study Your Word and sit with You in prayer. And lead me by Your Spirit giving me the courage and strength I need along the way.
Seek the Kingdom of God, above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33
May this be my daily prayer, Father. Make me a SEEKER first and foremost! I want to KNOW You. I want to KNOW Your will. I want to TRUST and OBEY Your commands. I want to live with gratitude because You have given me everything I need … You have given me Jesus, the One who has made possible my hope and my future. Thank you, Father, in Jesus name I pray. Amen.
One more thing to know God’s will…
The most important thing I’ve learned about knowing and following God’s will is that it is done one day at a time.
It has to begin again each morning with fresh faith in God who is not far off or uninvolved … but close enough to hear every whispered prayer and loving enough to guide every surrendered step.
Click here to read – 5 Verses to Pray When You Need to Know God’s Will.
Deb, I needed these encouraging prayers. I needed the reminding particularly in two of these verses! It’s definitely so very true that this is a daily process in seeking God’s will for each day.
Amen Deb! Great post! Yes, one day at a time is all we get… 😉
Bless you,
Jennifer
What a terrific prayer model! When you need to know God’s will, sometimes you don’t know how to ask. This really helps!
Deb, I loved this: “Life is meant to be lived one day at a time. ” So good and so true. Thank you for the wonderful prayers to help us live God’s will.
Amen! James said if we lack wisdom we should pray for it. So, if we lack the wisdom of God’s will, pray. And yes we don’t get the whole picture, as my pastor says, “just enough for the next 5 minutes. Thanks for sharing your insights.
Yes, Deb, it is one day at a time, isn’t it? May we start each new one trusting in God and His will for us, and loving Him with all that we are.
Blessings!
I just love how everything you write about is rooted in scripture and prayer. laurensparks.net
Deb,
I read your devotionals each morning when it is still dark outside and the world hasn’t awaken. My quiet time to “Be Still.” I love all your devotionals and words of wisdom. They lift my spirit, touch my heart, and uplift me. Through God’s Word and your teaching you touch many lives.
My word this year is “humble” and my Scripture is The Fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23. I loved the passages today. It is my birthday (74) and I choose Psalm 25:4-5 and Psalm 143:8 & 10 to focus on all day. All of the Scriptures and your writing are outstanding to me and something I can carry with me throughout my day.
Sisters in Christ Jesus,
Barbara
Deb, thanks for the dose of hope and joy today. Just what I needed. And thank you for sharing my post! What a nice surprise! Blessings to you.
Ps 143:8 has been my morning verse for a hundred years or so (since college…) – thanks, deb. Only i learned it in the KJV for obvious reasons.
Yes! Matthew 6:34 in the Message is exactly what I needed today! It’s funny how a different version can bring forth different aspects of the Word that my soul needs!
Deb – I couldn’t agree more with what you said, – “The most important thing I’ve learned about knowing and following God’s will is that it is done one day at a time.”
Thank you for your words of wisdom and the beautiful verses.
Maree
Good morning, Deb! I meant to comment last week, but I think my heart needed to go through these verses and prayers much more slowly this morning. 🙂 So much comfort and help here … and I think you’re right … one day at time is the only way to more forward into God’s will. Thanks for including my link too … that was a sweet surprise!
I need this so much, but the problem is that I still don’t trust Him. Life has been so hard, and so hard to understand.
Lisa, I understand the struggle. I lived there for so many years … afraid to surrender my heart and trust God completely. I started prayerfully reading the Bible every day and I have been overwhelmed and grateful for the ways God has strengthened me through very difficult circumstances. The Spirit made it possible for me to trust the Lord and His promises. I’m praying for you!