I’m sure you have wished from time to time that heaven would open and God would say, “My will is that you do A, B, and C.” A nice map of how and where we are to live our lives would be great. However, we know that this is not the way of God, at least not in my experience. Suppose He does this for you, great. George Mueller said that to know God’s will, one must first get to where they have no will of their own. Such a statement is all well and good. However, reaching this stage can be challenging.

In my current role (as a professor and instructor for future pastors), I work hard to help others discern God’s will. Trying to teach someone else to do what you have not exactly mastered can be hard—especially when it’s something no one has or can master. Many things can get in the way of clear discernment, and doubts can arise. There are various reasons for such doubts:

In one church I led, we were reaching our community and experiencing growth. I was asked to consider leading a different church. After a period of prayer and discernment, I came to believe that God was indeed calling us to join the other church. That’s all fine and good, but when trouble comes, it is easy to have our confidence shaken. After a while, I came to believe that perhaps I had missed God’s will all along. I could give reasons for this, but they aren’t important. Just know that when trouble comes, we often lose confidence that we are in God’s will. This loss can occur for a couple of reasons. First, we may have less confidence than we thought. Trouble shakes it, and we falter. That can be magnified by the second. Many of us have been taught to believe that if we are called, we will be successful by the world’s standards, and that we will be spared major trouble. I’ve seen this in many people facing problems. The first question that may be asked is, “Is God angry with me?”

This last is blatantly false. Paul’s calling included God’s saying, “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16 ESV). Pastors can suffer at the hands of their people. They may also experience apprehension about the size of the church and its finances. “What happens if the church goes broke? What if the family with so many kids leaves? What if (insert fear) happens?” Church members seldom realize how much our lives and self-worth can be intertwined with the church.

In such times, it is common to think (1) I will be happy (or less apprehensive) if I go back to where I was before, or (2) I will be happy if I go somewhere else. We may then sanctify whichever one we think and try to declare it God’s will. I know of one pastor who told a small country church, “God has called me here to be your pastor!” They agreed, and he became their pastor. Three weeks later, he suddenly announced, “God has called me to this other town.” Did God really call him to come for only three weeks and leave the church hurt and demoralized? I have a hard time thinking that it was God calling. It was likely that he was sanctifying his own desires.

The problem with going back to where you were before is that it is seldom anything like you remember. When I was in the Army, we used to say, “The best unit is always the one you just came from.” You may have hated it there and longed to leave. But when trouble hits where you are, the problems of past places get forgotten. In ministry, it can be easy to see your past church or community as the best and want to return—especially if you left a successful one. However, if God did indeed move you away, then returning seems to be a form of disobedience.

As for moving on to “greener pastures,” we seldom understand that the green pastures are there because someone else put in all the work to make them greener. I’m not saying that it is definitely not God’s will for you to move on. But if you aren’t sure, take care. Perhaps he wants you to stay where you are. Leaving to escape trouble seldom works out. This is because often trouble is meant to teach us lessons, and if we don’t learn the lessons here, God will teach them there.

I’m reminded of counseling a married couple who were determined to separate. I always say, ”You will do the work to stay together in this marriage or do it in the next. Either way, the work will need to be done.” The same applies to leaving a church due to stress or trouble. Let God work in you. If you believe he has taught you everything he intends you to learn there, then perhaps you should go.

If God is calling you to leave, obey. But let me share a couple of rules that I have for myself.

1. Since I, like many, tend to depression and anxiety in late fall, I refuse to send out my resume or consider a church between November and January. Part of this means getting to know yourself.
2. I refuse to send out my resume during any of the many fires we face in ministry. “Pulling the rip cord” to escape is not discerning God’s will.
3. I am careful to take my days off and vacations. Running away from burnout is not God’s will.

My prayer for you is that God will show you his will. My prayer is also that you will know it to be his will and not your own.