When You Don’t Know What to Do Next

Life can be quite unpredictable. There are some seasons when you have everything figured out and can make plans for the next five years. But then there are some seasons when don’t know what to do and can’t even picture the next five months.

Have you ever been in such seasons?

Maybe God called you to do something new, but He hasn’t shown you the next steps.

Maybe your dreams were broken, plans unexpectedly changed, and now you don’t know how to proceed.

Or maybe you are like me and have been stuck in the same situation for a while. You have done everything you could think of, including fasting and praying, but nothing is happening.

Regardless of the root cause, we all fall into these muddy uncertain seasons. I am currently going through one, and I do not know what to do with my life. I don’t know where to work or where to live. No matter which direction I look, I can’t see a way forward.

It’s like I’m stuck in a hallway and can’t make any progress because every door is closed.  This uncertainty and confusion often make me feel discouraged and depressed. But I hold on to the truth that Jesus hasn’t abandoned me and is still control.

Even though I don’t know where I am going, I know the One who is guiding me, and He is trustworthy.

As I have been going through this season, I have learned these three simple things to do when you don’t know what to do next.

1. Do the last thing God “told” you to do

We often like to ask God for the next thing or to give us a new mission. But are we doing the last thing He called us to do?  If God doesn’t tell you what to do next, perhaps it’s because He has already “told” you to do something else. And He either wants you to start doing it or to keep on doing it.

If you are unsure of what God wants you to do last, read His Word and you will find His instructions for your life. Also, ask Him in prayer, He always gives us wisdom when we pray for it (James 1:5).

If His last instruction doesn’t seem to make sense do it anyway; just like Peter in Luke 5. After Peter fished all night and caught nothing, Jesus told him to try again. It didn’t make sense because the sun was up, and the fish would be even harder to find. Nevertheless, he obeyed and caught so much fish that the boat began to sink.

God’s last instruction for me didn’t make sense either; it was to start a blog. Here I am asking God to help me find work in engineering, and I feel He is calling me to write.

But when God calls you to do something, it’s for a good reason. So, if you are in doubt about what to do, persevere in the last thing He “told” you to do. No matter how small, unimportant, or even nonsensical it may look, just do it.

2. Rest in the Lord

A season of uncertainty could be a call for you to rest. We are continually searching for the next thing, and trying to make things happen that we often forget we also need to rest.

So, when you don’t know what to do; rest it in the Lord.

Cease striving, stop trying to make things happen; but be still, and know your God. Trust that He is in control, and depend on Him wholly.

When I think of rest, I think of Elijah the prophet in 1 Kings 19. He was on the run for his life and was so weary and overwhelmed that he asked God to kill him. But God in His mercy sent an angel to minister to him. Elijah was able to eat, drink, and sleep. And after he rested well, God sent him back to work.

Likewise, God may also be calling you to rest in Him before sending you off to work again.

Rest has been the hardest for me. I like to plan, find solutions, and make things happen. Waiting without any course of action nearly drove me crazy at some point. But I have now learned to embrace rest and stop trying to figure everything out. Rather than being restless, I am trying to surrender to God’s will, sleep in the storm and trust that He won’t let me drown.

3. Do not worry

When life is uncertain, and you don’t know what’s coming next, it’s easy to give in to stress and anxiety. But resist the temptation! Do as Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Worrying won’t help, it will only rob your peace. And, Jesus commands us not to do it. To keep from worrying, I try to take one day at a time. I only focus on what I can do today and trust that God has my tomorrow in His hands.

And if that fails, another effective way to fight anxiety is through prayer. For the Word says to cast our worries on to Him and to pray about everything.

So, don’t worry, keep seeking God and worshipping Him, everything else will eventually fall into place.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.

Psalm 37:23-24

When plodding through a dark valley, remember Jesus is the light. As long as we follow Him, we will never be lost. He is always in control and leading the way even though we may not see Him.

When you don’t understand what He is doing, trust His faithfulness and goodness.

When you don’t know what to do next, don’t despair. Do the last thing God told you to do, rest in Him, and do not worry. Continue to worship Him, to thank Him, and patiently wait on Him.

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  Grace and peace