You Don’t Have to Decode God’s Will Like a Maze
How trusting God’s character frees us from obsessing over the “right” life choices.
There’s a moment usually somewhere in your early 20s when the phrase “God’s will for your life” starts to sound less like a promise and more like a puzzle. College, career, relationships suddenly, every decision feels like a potential fork in the road of destiny. You wonder if one wrong turn might derail God’s entire plan for your life.
We’ve been taught to think of God’s will like a blueprint detailed, specific, fragile. Miss a step, and the whole structure could collapse. This mindset leaves many of us paralyzed with fear, waiting for signs, praying for confirmations, hoping for the elusive “peace” that means we’ve guessed right. But what if God’s will isn’t a secret code we’re meant to crack?
That’s the freeing truth Kevin DeYoung unpacks in his book Just Do Something. According to him, God’s will isn’t a hidden maze. It’s not a tightrope walk or a choose-your-own-adventure with eternal stakes hanging on every page. It’s a relationship. And it’s far more accessible and freeing than we often realize.
The Problem with the Maze Mentality
Our anxiety over finding “the one right choice” often reflects a misunderstanding of who God is. We picture Him withholding answers, waiting for us to earn clarity. We act like He’s more interested in our accuracy than our faith.
But Scripture doesn’t frame God’s will as a fortune to uncover. It frames it as a way to walk.
“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:17). Paul doesn’t follow this with career advice or relationship timelines. Instead, he talks about living wisely, being filled with the Spirit, avoiding sin, and pursuing holiness. God’s will, first and foremost, is about who you are becoming not just where you’re going.
God’s Will Is Simpler Than You Think
DeYoung summarizes it this way “God’s will for your life is pretty straightforward: Be holy like Jesus, by the power of the Spirit, for the glory of God.” That’s it. That’s the foundation. Your major, your job, your zip code these are important, but they’re secondary. They’re the details of the story, not the plot.
The good news is that if you’re walking with God, you’re not missing His will. He’s not waiting for you to figure out the right career or city before He’ll start blessing you. He’s already at work. “God wants us to stop obsessing about the future and trust that He holds the future,” DeYoung says. This is what it means to walk by faith.
You Can Stop Waiting for a Burning Bush
Some of us have been waiting for a sign a burning bush, a prophetic dream, or at least a tingly feeling in our gut. But the Bible gives you more than a feeling. It gives you freedom. If you are seeking God’s kingdom first (Matthew 6:33), you are free to make decisions, take risks, and trust God to guide your steps.
As Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Notice what that verse doesn’t say. It doesn’t say God will hand you a map. It says He will guide your steps as you walk. He clears the path, not necessarily the plan.
Obedience Over Omniscience
The pressure to predict your future isn’t from God. His priority isn’t that you guess perfectly it’s that you follow faithfully. That means praying, yes. Seeking wisdom, yes. But also acting, stepping out, and moving forward with courage and trust.
Don’t be afraid to get it wrong. God’s plans aren’t fragile. He is sovereign, which means even your detours are within His providence. He can redirect. He can redeem. He’s not wringing His hands over your next career move. He’s more concerned with whether you’re becoming more like Christ in whatever move you make.
So What Should You Do?
Do the next faithful thing. Make a choice rooted in wisdom and character. Walk with God daily. Grow in holiness. Stay in community. Then act. Don’t wait for the “liver-shiver,” as DeYoung calls it. If your life is aimed at honoring God, you are not missing the mark.
God’s will isn’t a scavenger hunt. It’s a life of trust and obedience. You don’t have to decode His plan like a cryptic message. You just have to follow Him in the moment you’re in.
He’s bigger than your résumé. He’s bigger than your dating life. And He’s certainly bigger than your fear of missing the “right” path. God isn’t trying to trick you. He’s inviting you to trust Him.
So go ahead apply for that job. Move to that city. Ask that person out. Start that project. Pray, seek wisdom, and then step forward.
You don’t have to solve His will. You just have to live it.
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