Wayfinding Part 3: Led By God’s Word - Jill Smith

WAYFINDING: Navigating Life God

Part 3: Led by God’s Word 

There are moments in life when we need direction. A decision needs to be made. A season is changing. A familiar pathway is closing. A new opportunity appears. We find ourselves asking, What should I do? Where should I go? How do I know which way is right? These are deeply human questions.

Throughout Scripture, people have faced moments like these. Abraham leaving his homeland. Moses standing before the burning bush. Samuel learning to recognise God’s voice. Mary receiving an unexpected invitation. Paul changing direction because the Spirit redirected his plans. Time and again, the people of God learned that they were not simply navigating circumstances. They were walking with a God who speaks and invites relationship.

One of the questions that has been helpful for me in times of disorientation is this:

What did God say? 

Not simply, “What do I feel?” Or “What do I want?”

Not only, “What seems sensible?” Or “What does everyone else think?”

But first:

“Lord, what have You said?”

This question is not about chasing dramatic experiences or searching for certainty about every detail of life. It is about cultivating a listening heart, a life attentive to the God who has made Himself known. 

The Bible begins with a God who speaks. “Let there be light.” And there was light. Creation itself is brought into being through the Word of God. The Gospel of John takes this even further, declaring that the Word was with God, the Word was God, and through Him all things were made. The God we follow is not silent. He has spoken through Scripture, through His Son Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, through His people, and through the unfolding circumstances of our lives. The invitation is not simply to hear more information about God, but to become people who recognise His voice and respond with trust, even we don’t fully understand.

Yet learning to listen takes time. One of the greatest challenges is that we often want God’s guidance without the process of learning attentiveness. We just want a clear answer, but God often forms us through the time spent with Him, listening. Think of Abraham. God gave him a promise, but Abraham had to walk many miles, one step at a time, before he saw its fulfilment. The word came first. The journey followed.

Think of Joseph. He received dreams of a future he could not yet understand. Between the promise and the fulfilment came betrayal, slavery, imprisonment and years of waiting. Yet later, looking back, Joseph could see that God had been present and purposeful even in the places he never would have chosen. Think of Mary. Her encounter with the angel brought both promise and uncertainty. She was given a word from God, but she also had to surrender control, carry what she did not fully understand, and trust the One who had spoken.

A word from God does not always remove difficulty. Sometimes it gives us the courage to walk through difficulty. This is where mature discernment matters. A listening life is not a life where every thought, feeling or impression is automatically assumed to be God’s voice. Scripture invites us to test, weigh, seek wisdom, walk connected in family and community, attend to trustworthy advisors, and remain grounded in the character of Christ. The voice of God will never contradict the heart of God revealed in Jesus. It will lead us towards love, humility, faithfulness and greater alignment with His purposes. 

Perhaps one of the most important disciplines of navigating life well is learning to remember, “What did God Say?” When Israel faced new challenges, God repeatedly called them to remember His promises. To remember what He had already done. To remember the covenant, the deliverance, the faithfulness. Because remembering strengthens trust.

The same is true for us. There are seasons when God seems quiet. There are times when we cannot see clearly. There are moments when the next step feels uncertain. In those seasons, we return to what we know. What has God already said? What promises have shaped my journey? What Scriptures have carried me? What moments of grace have revealed His faithfulness? Who are the key people He has placed around me? What invitations has He placed before me? Sometimes the next step becomes clearer not because we receive something completely new, but because we rediscover what God has already been saying. 

This is an ongoing learning journey where we learn on the way. I have made decisions I would not make again. I have misinterpreted God’s Word and misunderstood seasons. I have struggled with impatience and frustration. Sometimes I’ve moved too quickly and sometimes hesitated too long. Yet I continue to discover the kindness of a God who patiently and graciously leads His people. Not only guiding us towards a destination, but He also forming us, very personally, as we walk with Him. 

Taking Your Bearings

·      What has God already said that I need to remember?

·      Are there Scriptures, promises or moments of grace that have shaped my journey?

·      Am I creating enough space to listen, or am I only asking God to bless my plans?

·      How might I grow in recognising and responding to God’s presence and voice?

·      Who are the wise, trusted people God has provided to help me discern well?