Four Ways To Discern Where God is Leading

When we’re making decisions, many of us pray, “God, what do you want me to do?” and hope that God delivers a swift answer. If he doesn’t, it’s easy to grow fainthearted and give up. But Jesus, knowing that prayer would be difficult for his disciples, gave them a parable to encourage them to pray persistently.

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Luke 18:1-8

Even an unrighteous judge, when pestered long enough, will relent. How much more will your Father, who desires that you walk in his will, respond as you continue to knock on his door?

So, pray expectantly, and take note of whether your desire to serve internationally grows over time – even if it’s a bit scary, too. As you pray, put yourself in a posture of surrender. Be honest with yourself: are you willing to receive the answers God gives? Are you willing to take a step forward in faith, even if you don’t have all the answers? It may take time, but your Good Shepherd will lead you where he wants you to go.

Need a place to start? Check out our lockscreen with five things you can ask God daily.

Prayer is essential for discerning God’s plan for your life, but so too is reading God’s Word. In the Scriptures, we find God’s declared will for his Church and his disciples. So, dig deep into his Word.

Pore over Scriptures revealing his heart for the nations, his mission for the church, and his design for humanity. Study what Jesus says about the Kingdom of God. Consider what he says about the costs of following him – and the rewards.

As you read, ask him, “God, where do I fit into this? What’s my role? What step of obedience can I take next?” Don’t be surprised when he responds! Be attentive to doors he may be opening for you to meet urgent needs and leverage your skills.

If there’s one thing the Bible is clear about when it comes to decision-making, it’s this: we are far more likely to succeed when we surround ourselves with wise people (see Proverbs 11:14, 12:15, 15:22, 24:6).

Godly counselors can identify our strengths, show us our blind spots, and help us remember what’s true about God and his Kingdom. Isolation, on the other hand, makes us prone to forgetfulness, foolishness, and error.

So, if you want to seek God’s direction and discern whether he’s leading you to serve abroad, invite a circle of trusted, godly people to pray with you and speak into your decision. Like Paul and Barnabas, look for the affirmation of your local church (Acts 13:1-3).

Make sure this circle includes people who know you well and have a front-row seat to your life. That said, keep in mind that those who love you most and know you best can sometimes be most afraid of you taking risks and moving far away. It’s not uncommon for Christians to experience resistance and opposition from others, even other Christians, when God is leading them to go overseas.

For this reason, it’s especially important to make sure your circle of counselors includes people who value sacrificial obedience, risk-taking, and cross-cultural work. Talk with pastors and mentors at your local church, as well as people who love the nations. You may also consider talking to our coaches, who are gifted mentors with significant cross-cultural experience themselves.

When speaking with others, consider who expresses affirmation and who expresses opposition – and for what reasons. Is it because of your maturity and readiness, because of safety or financial concerns, or something else? Are they saying, “Not yet!” or are they cautioning you against the opportunity entirely? Carefully weigh the feedback you’re receiving from others and compare it to the truths you find in God’s word.

As you pray and think about the possibility of serving internationally, it’s important to learn more about the realities and complexities of cross-cultural work. To do this, start small! Grab coffee with folks who have lived on the field and ask them questions about their experience. Attend conferences. Read biographies of global workers. Sign up for newsletters like ours where you can hear prayer requests and stories about what God’s doing around the world.

More importantly, gain some firsthand experience if you don’t already have it. God often uses our experiences to clarify our calling. So, take advantage of short-term and mid-term opportunities to explore cross-cultural work up close.

These put you in contexts where you can get outside of your comfort zone and interact with people of other cultures. In these environments, take note of what you find most enjoyable, what you find most challenging, and what areas you need to grow in. Use these observations to assess your interest in and readiness for cross-cultural service.