We make lots of decisions every day, sometimes without even thinking about them. What should I eat for breakfast? What radio station should I listen to? What time will I make dinner? Many of these daily decisions come so easily and naturally to us that they rarely feel like decisions at all. But in life, we also have to make difficult decisions about important things. I recently got a puppy, and I struggled with that decision. Was I ready for a years-long commitment to care for an animal? I made a pros and cons list, asked the advice of family and friends, and perhaps most importantly, went to God in prayer. When we have a big life decision to make, we can remember that our God is a God who always listens (Psalm 66:17-19) and always helps (Isaiah 41:10).

Asking God for help

When we have an important decision to make, we should always be confident that we can ask God for help. 1 John 5:14 reminds us: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” We know that God always listens and no problem is too small for God. I often wondered, growing up, if my prayer requests were too trivial, especially with so many bigger issues happening in our world. But I am reminded time and time again that our God is big enough to hear all of our prayers; more than that, he wants us to come to him in times of frustration and indecision. God wants to be our confidant, the one whom we choose to share our deepest thoughts and feelings with.

We know, especially in difficult seasons, that it might be hard to structure a prayer asking God for help. While we want to remind you that there’s no right way to pray, we want to provide a template to help you get started. Insert the decision you are struggling with in the space:

Father God, help me today. I am stuck. I feel torn, and I don’t know what to do. I come to you for help with _________. Guide me to make a decision that feels right. Help me to reconcile with the choice I make and keep from regretting what I did not choose. Help me to feel the Holy Spirit within, guiding me. Most of all, help this decision to reflect you in my life. Amen.

Ask others to pray on your behalf

As Christians, we are built for community. That community includes partnering with each other in prayer. While we may ask family and friends for advice, they ultimately cannot make a decision for us. One actionable step they can take is praying for us. James 5:16 tells us that “[t]he prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Ask your loved ones to pray for you, that God will help you in your decision-making process. You can do the same for others who are making difficult decisions. Praying for others is called intercession. If you need some help with intercessory prayer, you can find our guide here. While praying for others, you can also ask God to give you discernment and wisdom on how you can help your loved ones, and the practical ways you can provide support. You can’t be the decision-maker yourself, but you can provide a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen.

We can be sure God is listening

Sometimes, it might feel like God isn’t listening to us. Sometimes, we cry out over and over again and seemingly hear nothing in return. Yet, God’s Word assures that God always listens and always helps: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22). Listening for God’s answer is a skill, and it may not come in the form we expect. As much as we’d like, God does not simply shout the answer back to us or drop a letter in the mailbox with his response. God gave humankind free will. God makes plans for us, but we are free to make our own decisions to follow his plans or not. Our decisions to not trust him can have disastrous consequences and have led to painful and difficult times in our world. While God does not make decisions for us, we can listen for his guidance.

Have you ever had a “gut instinct” about something? This may be the Holy Spirit working in you. Just as we pray for others, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).

When we think about listening for God, we often think about using our ears. But the Holy Spirit lives within us. God’s answers may come in all different forms. Sometimes, we can be demanding, rigid, and specific when we want God to give us an answer, seeking to be precisely in His 'will.' We often think there is a singular, perfect choice that we need to discern. But it's not always about finding the exact path; it's about making decisions with faith and trust that God is guiding us, being open to His leading, and moving forward with confidence. Sometimes, God's will could be a variety of options, and we just need to make a decision. So, rather than stressing over making the perfect decision, be confident that God can guide us through various paths. Even if things don’t go as planned, God can use those experiences for our good—learning from mistakes, building faith, and gaining confidence in making decisions.

In all things, we can rest assured that God always listens and always helps. This includes making our difficult decisions. Even when it feels like we can’t hear God, we know that he is there, caring for us more than we could ever imagine. Take comfort in the fact that our Father is ready to listen, only a prayer away.

Are you dealing with a difficult decision? Can we pray for you? Click here to submit a prayer request.