The will of God presents a challenge. While it's great to know, it can be difficult to discover.

In his book, Forgotten God, pastor and author Francis Chan writes: "To be honest, I believe part of the desire to 'know God's will for my life' is birthed in fear and results in paralysis. We are scared to make mistakes, so we fret over figuring out God's will." These words come from a chapter titled "Forget About His Will for Your Life!"

The paralysis that Chan refers to happens in our personal lives and in our ministries. Unfortunately, the result is the same in both settings—inactivity excused by spirituality. Often, this hesitation comes from a person selling himself short. Lack of confidence leads to lack of decision which leads to lack of activity. We end up just waiting for heaven to make every decision clear before doing anything.

I've done it. You probably have, too. But there's a better way.

A tale of two candidates

Two experiences taught me important lessons about God's will. Both ...