Discerning God’s call on our life can be a complicated process. When faced with a big decision, particularly related to calling, I can feel overwhelmed and stuck, unable to determine which choice would be wisest and which one would “honor the Lord.” I can get caught up in perfectionism and a drive to make correct and good decisions, rather than trusting in the Lord with humility. 

Matthew 6:33-34 is often quoted as an antidote for anxiety and fear, and it points to the hope and confidence we can have in the attentive care of our Heavenly Father. These verses utilize simple metaphors and speak of how God’s sovereignty infuses even the birds’ daily scavenging for food. At the same time, this passage points to the core calling of every believer – to seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. This doesn’t have an answer to our questions about where to move and where to serve, but it speaks to the way in which we should be dedicated first and foremost to the work of the Kingdom.

It is a paradox of the simple and the radical.

At the same time, it is good to be reminded that as a follower of Jesus Christ, we have the living Spirit of God in our hearts, providing discernment and direction. We have been given wisdom from the Lord and we have been given freedom to make decisions in that wisdom, even if we don’t have clear direction from the Father. 

The point here is that while God does often provide clear direction on our questions of calling, we are not left in the dark if He does not. Sometimes the best way to testify of God’s sovereignty is to step out in a direction and trust that the Lord will continue to direct your footsteps. In our humanity, we will make imperfect decisions, but we are guided and loved by a God who orchestrates the lifecycles of the lilies of the valley and the presence of every hair on our heads. There is so much grace and there is so much patience from the Lord as we try to determine how to live our lives. As we try to walk in a way that honors Him, He moves throughout us and guides us.