When It’s Not Clear, Don’t Move
Waiting for toast to pop reminds us that God’s timing is never early, never late, and always clear.
📚 Devotional Credit:
Excerpt adapted from His Victorious Indwelling by Nick Harrison.
Original devotional writing by R. A. Torrey.
📸 Photo Credit:
Image by Unsplash
Some believers who truly desire to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading can become tormented by unclear impressions, mistaking vague nudges or uncertain promptings as divine directives. Torrey offers a word of freedom to such burdened hearts: God does not guide through confusion. He is light, and in Him is no darkness. The fog is not from Him.
If our hearts are truly yielded—wills fully surrendered—then God will always make His direction unmistakably clear when the time is right. Vague inner stirrings, if they do not carry clarity, do not require obedience. We are not called to act on suspicion or murkiness. Rather, we may rest in the assurance that if something is from God, it will be affirmed in His timing and His way.
Torrey gently corrects the notion that it’s our job to manufacture or manipulate how that guidance comes. Trying to force God’s hand—through signs, Bible roulette, or other methods—shows more anxiety than trust. Instead, we are invited into a posture of restful expectancy, confident that our Father knows how to make His will known to His children. He wants us to walk in peace, not worry; in clarity, not confusion.
This devotional is a healing balm for those who fear that missing a leading means missing God. If the way isn’t clear, don’t move. Yield, wait, and trust that when it’s time, the Light will shine—and you will see.
📓 Journal Entry — Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture:
You are not meant to chase shadows or second-guess My whispers. I am not hiding behind riddles. I speak peace into your spirit, not panic. My sheep hear My voice—clearly, lovingly, unmistakably. When the path is Mine, you will know. Until then, rest.
If your heart is surrendered to Me, then trust that I will not let you miss My guidance. I am not measuring your performance. I am inviting your dependence. The Spirit I have given you does not lead by guilt, nor by pressure, nor by confusion. He leads by truth and peace.
You never need to act out of fear that you’ll disappoint Me by standing still when you're unsure. I have given you the right to come to Me as My child and ask for light. And I will give it—in My way, in My time, in perfect love. Until then, let your stillness be your trust.
Even when nothing seems to be happening, I am aligning your steps. Trust that I am already working. The steps of the righteous are not only determined—they are timed. Do not lean on your own understanding or try to hurry what I am unveiling. Simply abide. In stillness, you will find Me faithful.
Scripture References: Proverbs 16:9; Psalm 37:23; Isaiah 30:21; 1 John 1:5; Romans 8:14; Psalm 25:9; Isaiah 26:3; John 10:27; James 1:5; Philippians 4:6–7; John 14:26; Proverbs 3:5–6; Galatians 5:25; Psalm 46:10; Exodus 33:14
🪞Real-Life Analogy:
It’s like waiting for toast to pop up. You hear the gentle ticking of the toaster, smell the slow warming of the bread, and anticipate the moment it’s ready—but there’s no rushing it. If you pull the toast up too early, it’s not done. If you wait, it rises perfectly at the right time.
In much the same way, when you face an unclear decision or impression, you don’t need to act until God makes things unmistakably “pop.” The internal pressure to “do something now” can be laid aside. Today, if a situation or possible action isn’t clear, yield to the Spirit, and simply trust: “Lord, I trust You to bring clarity in Your perfect timing. I don’t need to move until You show me plainly.” That kind of settled peace is a mark of the abiding life.
🙏 Prayer of Confidence:
Father, I thank You that You never lead through confusion. You are Light, and I dwell in that Light with You. I rest in the confidence that You make Your will known to Your children in the right time and in the right way. Because You are my Shepherd, I do not need to fear making a wrong turn. I will wait without worry. I will yield without anxiety. I trust that You are directing my steps, even when the next one isn’t yet visible. Thank You for the clarity You will give, and the peace I already have in You.