“Lord, Give Me a Sign”

When I set out on the six-minute drive to pick my son up from work, I had an urgent issue on my mind. I wanted to make the most of my limited time to talk out loud to God, and I do that sometimes when I’m alone in the car.

My prayer went something like this (also, there might have been a few tears involved, along with a fumbling grasp for glove compartment fast food napkins at the stoplight):

“Lord, this is a big decision. I don’t know what to do. It affects not just me, but other people, too, and I’m scared of all of this change. Dear God, please help me. Can you …” (hesitating now) “… and you know I hardly ever ask you for this, Lord … I’m actually not sure I ought to be asking it at all, and I’m sorry if this is wrong to ask … but can you possibly give me a sign so I know what to do?”

Even as I said the words, my mind flew to the book of Judges, when Gideon put God to the test with a sheep’s fleece, asking for a specific sign to confirm what God had clearly called him to do. This scene has never sat well with me, yet Gideon received an answer exactly when he asked for it, and without reproof from God. So (I told myself) maybe my asking God for a sign wasn’t so bad after all?

Still, I apologized in prayer even as I asked, knowing that God already knew the mixed emotions in my heart. As I sat at that stoplight, wiping my face with a scratchy fast food napkin, I was also sitting at my Father’s feet, begging for his guidance. I wanted so much to make the right choice, but I desperately needed his help to know what that was.

I began to explain myself: “Lord, I need to know I’m doing what you want me to do. Please, anything, any kind of sign at all, something that shows me I’m making the right choice.” Then, as I pulled up to my son’s work and I saw him reach for the car door handle, I ended my prayer boldly, with more confidence this time, “Lord, give me a sign.”

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If you’ve been a Christian for a while, you’ve probably prayed and asked for guidance from the Lord pretty frequently. You may have asked God for wisdom, discernment, and clarity as you’ve made major decisions in your life. You may have remembered to pray as Jesus taught us: “Thy will be done.” These are not insincere prayers; I know I truly want to do God’s will and I understand that he knows what’s best for me, even when I don’t. I know I can trust his will in my life. And yet …

We still have to make decisions in the real world, in real time—choices that affect our own life and the lives of others, sometimes in profound ways. Decisions that sometimes have a timetable or a firm deadline. Decisions that could have lifelong consequences. Decisions involving work, school, church, relationships and marriage, children and parents, moving or staying, health care, and so much more.

We’re often scared to make those big decisions. And in our desire to be in God’s will, there are times when we may boldly ask him for a sign that we’re making the right choice. This isn’t the same thing as putting God to the test, as Gideon did. It’s asking for evidence that will clarify God’s will in our lives. We’re asking God to lead us in a way that we can recognize (because we’re not going to lay out a sheep’s fleece)—and then we need to be sure that our eyes, ears, hearts, and minds are open to what he has for us.

Here are some things to remember when you’re seeking evidence of God’s will for you—a “sign”—that points toward his leading in your life:

A sign from God can come in many different forms. In the Old Testament, God gave a clear sign to Gideon with a sheep’s fleece, and he gave a clear sign to Abraham’s servant at the well regarding the woman he should choose to be Isaac’s wife. But the more subtle ways that God communicates with you today might include:

• Other people speaking into your situation, whether positive comments, observations, or  casual remarks—especially people who know you well and have your best interests at heart
• Doors closing or opening—this happens quite often and can be very obvious, so don’t miss it (or dismiss it)
• Peace in your heart over your decision—a quiet, calm feeling that replaces anxiety or distress; a sense that all will be well, that God is in control, and that he has answered your plea
• Something that you ignored or overlooked previously that resurfaces in a new way—a person, a situation, a conversation, an opportunity
• Your Bible or devotional reading, or a sermon or Bible study that speaks directly to your situation and spurs you to see something in a new way or provides new clarity

Keep the prayer conversation open. Pray without ceasing over your situation, if needed. God may indeed answer your prayer quickly; he may also know that waiting is actually what’s best at this time. He may choose to provide a sign all at once; he may also reveal his will to you in small increments.

Do the next thing—and try not to stress over the next right thing—as you wait for the Lord’s guidance. Be open to the ways in which God works in your life (as in the above list), but keep your life moving forward in case you need to wait. Remember also that there may be several good options before you, any of which could be in accordance with his will.

Remember that God can work with anything, even your misguided choices. If he doesn’t provide the sign you asked for, he has a reason for that. If God is sovereign (and I fully believe that he is), then none of your decisions are a surprise to him.

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Not all of the stories I share have a happy ending, but this one does (I think it does, at least—parts of this story are still up in the air, which is why I can’t share final details here). Less than 24 hours after my prayer-filled drive to my son’s work, I received a few texts and a couple of comments from loved ones that gave me confirmation of the choice I had been leaning toward. With each positive comment, I felt more peace in my heart. The practical, rational part of my brain had also had a small conversation with itself about practical, rational, and positive consequences that I hadn’t thought of before—about how this choice would actually solve some other problems. And most important of all, I began to mentally piece together how God had seemingly orchestrated every event that led up to this moment, both in my life and in other lives, in order to bring me to this point.

I thanked God then for speaking to me through others; for nudging the practical, rational side of me to logically connect the dots and move forward; and for revealing his larger plan that he had been working on all along.

“Thank you, Lord, for giving me a sign.”

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[One helpful resource in writing this article was a Bible that my husband and I read when we first became Christians nearly 30 years ago, and that we used with our teens: The Quest Study Bible. I prefer using a reliable print reference (rather than the internet) for theological questions, and this is a good “answer” Bible for new believers, younger Christians, or anyone who would like to read thousands of questions and answers right in the margins, plus additional, longer articles on thorny topics—such as Gideon’s test and how that differs from seeking God’s will.]

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