Before You Choose: Learning to Let the Holy Spirit Lead

Pastor Michelle Thomas
2 days ago
3 min read

Every day, we make choices. Some are small and seem insignificant. Others have the potential to change the direction of our lives. We choose what to say, when to respond, whom to trust, where to go, what opportunities to accept, what relationships to pursue, and when it is time to stay or walk away.

The challenge is that we often make these decisions while experiencing strong emotions.

We choose while angry.
We choose while afraid.
We choose while lonely.
We choose while disappointed.
We choose because we are tired of waiting.
We choose because something feels good in the moment.

Sometimes the problem is not that we don't love God. The problem is that we make the decision without consulting God.

The Holy Spirit Was Given to Guide Us

Jesus told His disciples in John 16:13:

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth…”

That word guide is important. God never intended for us to navigate life entirely through our own understanding. He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us recognize truth, develop discernment, receive conviction, and walk according to His will.

But guidance requires something from us: We must be willing to follow.

Think about using a GPS. It can tell you exactly where to turn, but you can still ignore the instruction. If it says, “Turn right,” and you decide to turn left, the guidance was available, you simply chose another direction.

Spiritually, we sometimes do the same thing. The Holy Spirit whispers:

“Don't respond yet." But we respond.
“Don't go there.” But we go.
“Wait." But we rush.
“Something isn't right." But because it is something we really want, we ignore the warning.

Then later, when we are dealing with the consequences, we ask God: m“Lord, how did I get here?”

Sometimes the answer is that the Holy Spirit was guiding us, but we were moving too quickly to listen.

Not Every Feeling Requires an Action

One of the greatest lessons we can learn is that feeling something doesn't mean we have to act on it.

You can feel angry without responding in anger.
You can feel rejected without chasing after someone for validation.
You can feel afraid without allowing fear to make your decision.
You can feel lonely without entering a relationship that isn't healthy for you.
You can feel offended without immediately confronting someone.
You can strongly desire something and still ask, “God, is this right for me?”

Our feelings are real, but they were never designed to become our only source of direction.

Galatians 5:16 tells us:

“Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

Walking in the Spirit means learning that there may be moments when what I feel like doing and what God is leading me to do are two completely different things.

That is where surrender begins.

Develop a Holy Pause

Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is simply: STOP!

Not everything requires an immediate response.
Not every opportunity requires an immediate yes.
Not every disagreement requires an immediate confrontation.
Not every text deserves an immediate reply.
Not every door that opens requires you to walk through it.
Not every feeling requires an immediate action.

James 1:19 teaches us to be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” We need to develop what I call a holy pause!

Before you respond, pause.
Before you retaliate, pause.
Before you quit, pause.
Before you commit, pause.
Before you spend the money, pause.
Before you enter the relationship, pause.
Before you walk away from the relationship, pause.
Before you make a life-changing decision based on what you are feeling today. PAUSE, and in that pause, pray:

“Holy Spirit, what should I do?”

That simple prayer can create enough space between your emotion and your action for wisdom to enter the conversation.