Listening for Wisdomনমুনা

Listening for the Righteous Way, Not the Right Way

When I was in college, I found out I might have to leave my junior year and transfer because of a lack of finances. The decision was to be made the week before I went back to school. I had already applied and been accepted as a transfer at a new school, but I wanted to stay at my current school with my whole heart.

Have you ever prayed for direction and heard only silence? Have you ever found yourself feverishly asking God for the next steps or felt confused at why he allowed certain things to happen? Scripture shows that God doesn’t often give people an explanation, an answer to their why, or a detailed blueprint for their life. Instead, he calls them to trust him daily by reading his Word and listening for his voice.

The book of Proverbs shows us that God cares not as much about the right way (life direction or signposts telling us what to do) as the righteous way: “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (Proverbs 4:18, NIV). The Bible shows us much more than just which direction to go; it teaches us how to grow in holiness and trust the Lord while we wait. The Holy Spirit changes us through Scripture.

A foundational belief in Christianity involves trusting that God is guiding us through the power of his Spirit, even if the Bible doesn’t always provide specific guidelines for our choices.

The Spirit will direct us in the way we should go. This guidance will be in line with God’s Word, and it will take us down paths of righteousness. There are times when the Spirit gives clear directions, and other times we are called to trust him with our next steps. Truth in the Bible is revealed by the power of the Spirit if, as we read, we are saying yes to discovering God’s plan for humanity, not merely looking for a detailed step-by-step guide for ourselves. God guides us through his Word for more than decision-making—He also guides us in how to live. “The distance between me and God’s revelation is the distance between me and my Bible. I should prayerfully ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in my biblical study, but not ask Him for new revelation independent of it.” [1]

We walk hand in hand with God and learn to trust his leading in and through the pages of Scripture. In Bible study, the Holy Spirit helps us understand what we’re reading. We also know the Spirit guides us into truth (John 16:13). He teaches us and helps us interpret Scripture (John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:13). He does this by making the text come alive to us; when we become believers, we can be confident that the Spirit is already leading and directing our lives. As we read the Bible, we may feel nudged to change and grow so we become more like Christ. The Spirit transforms us through the pages of Scripture.

1 Randy Alcorn, “The Relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God,” Eternal Perspective Ministries, February 25, 2010, https://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Feb/25/relationship-between-holy-spirit-and-word-god.