Life is full of ups and downs for Christians as well as non-Christians. There are days of joy and happiness, and there are days of sadness and despondency.
Christians believe that God has a plan and purpose for our lives. This is confirmed in Jeremiah 29:11 which says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.
Sometimes in our lives, we are uncertain about God’s plan for us. When things don’t go as planned or a series of bad events occur, we begin to wonder if God has anything better in store for us.
In those moments, it can be helpful to look for signs that God is pushing us into something better.
Those signs act as a pointer and an anchor for our souls. They help us realize that maybe all the things happening around us are meant to lead us into something brighter and better than we had ever imagined.
How do you know the signs that God is pushing you toward something better? This article will show you 4 signs God is pushing you into something better.
Sign 1: When You Experience Feelings Of Restlessness And Discomfort
The first of our 4 signs God is pushing you into something better is that you will begin to experience feelings of discomfort.
You may feel restless in your place of work, career, or family life. You might feel uneasy about the way you do things or the things or decisions you make that are great. You might feel dissatisfied with what you’ve achieved or created, your career, your jobs, or how your family life is going. Sometimes you might not even understand the reason for the discomfort you feel.
I remember when I began to feel uneasy in the house I was living in. Everything was suddenly irritating and confusing. I began to notice little issues I had previously ignored. I could not sleep well at night, nor could I explain why I was no longer motivated or happy to remain in that house.
When you begin to notice discomfort or dissatisfaction with your present life, it is a sign God is pushing you into something better. He knows that unless you begin to feel irritated where you are, you won’t attempt something better.
Sign 2: When You Experience Rejections, Failures And Closed Doors
While I was still trying to understand the discomfort I was feeling, I was also dealing with being unable to find a job. It was the aftermath of the pandemic, and many jobs were laying off staff in order to thrive in the season. So I couldn’t find a job.
I got one rejection after another and spent money going for exams that I didn’t get a callback for. The online jobs I used to survive during the pandemic just got shut down without a warning. I was broke, homeless, and hungry.
I wondered what was going on. Why was I experiencing one closed door after another?
One of the 4 signs God is pushing you into something better is that you might begin to experience rejection and closed doors.
The businesses and deals you hoped for or confirmed might begin to fall through. You might experience delays in getting married, getting a job, or having a baby. You might have a delayed promotion or be laid off from your job.
You might fail in the various ventures you begin. You might go bankrupt in business, lose a company you struggled to build or fail an exam over and over again after preparing hard for it.
When you begin to see this sign, keep your hope alive and hold on, because your closed door is a sign that there will soon be an open roof of blessings for you. It may take time, but it will come.
Sign 3: When God Asks You To Let Go Of Something You Cherish Deeply
We are familiar with the story of Abraham and Isaac. God told Abraham to take his son Isaac to a mountain and sacrifice him to Him.
We all know how Abraham obeyed, how God provided a lamb for the sacrifice, and how God made a covenant with Abraham. We say Abraham had faith in God’s ability to raise his son back to life, but have we considered how Abraham felt when God told him that?
Did we think it was very easy for Abraham to just take his son and go up that mountain? Have we thought about what might be running through his mind on that journey?
Imagine waiting 99 years for a child and then being told to kill him! Well, we might not know what Abraham felt, but we know how we would feel if that instruction were given to us.
During the time when I still had no job or a place to live, I moved back to my parents’ home in another state. It was a very difficult time for me because I felt like my life was moving backward. At that time, I began to put together a little book of poetry I had written that held me through different stages of my life. I had hoped to make money from it to tide me through the next few months until I get a job.
I had anticipated the sales I would make and the referrals I would have. I even planned to organize classes to teach what I know and have a little money in my pocket, but after my plans, I had a clear understanding in my mind to drop it.
No, I would not monetize that book. No, I would not organize that class.
In fact, it went a bit further. I will not write for a while. I said, “Okay, God, I understand you don’t want me to sell my book or organize a class for now, but not to write? How? Why? Writing is my lifeblood!”
The next few months were not funny. In that space of time, I saw people I had taught and referred get a better and bigger following than I do. I saw them selling their books, making money, and focusing full-time on their craft. On the other hand, I was “stagnant”.
People kept asking me why I wasn’t writing anymore, why my follower list was not growing, and how I would have gone further and become better if I hadn’t given up. How could I explain that I didn’t give up?
It pained me that I couldn’t write, but I knew I had to obey because I had learned from Abraham’s experience that when God asks you to let go of something you cherish, it is one of the 4 signs God is pushing you into something better.
In your case, it might be to resign from your job, release your child to go far to study or reject payment for a job when you desperately need the money. It might be to offer your house to a homeless family or cancel your vacation to volunteer for a cause.
Whatever the case, if this happens to you, know it is one of the 4 signs God is pushing you into something better.
Sign 4: When You Receive Confirmation From People
The final sign we will consider in this list of 4 signs God is pushing you into something better is confirmation from other people.
Sometimes, when God wants to push you into something better, he sends confirmation through people you meet or interact with. Someone you don’t know might tell you something that confirms the direction God is leading you in. Your pastors or counselors might confirm as well.
During that period, when I struggled with the decision to stop writing, I had a conversation with a colleague. In the course of our conversation, he told me that this period should be used to build up my knowledge. He advised me to pray, read, and study the word of God deeply, as well as other books and courses in the line of career I intend to pursue. I hadn’t even told him about my wanting to organize a class to share my knowledge or the instruction not to write anymore.
He further counseled me not to be concerned about whether my progress was slow or not, saying that it wasn’t yet time to move forward but rather to build myself up and gather strength. Those words confirmed the instructions I had received from God.
Through the Bible, we see various cases where the word of God to a person was confirmed through other people. A good example is the case of Paul. God told him he would have persecutions all around, which was confirmed again by the prophet Agabus (Acts 21:10-11).
When your counselor, pastor, friend, family members, or colleagues affirm the changes you intend to make, it can be a sign God is pushing you into something better. After all, the Bible says there is safety in a multitude of counselors.
Finally, remember that God’s plan is specific and unique for you. That it doesn’t look the same as your friends, family members, or even your twin does not mean it isn’t best for you.
If you notice any of the 4 signs explained above in your life, it should spur you to pray for patience, clarity, and guidance on how to get the “better” God has planned for you.
Want to know what became of my life? One year later, I got a job and an apartment to live in. It happened through a series of connections I could not have dreamed of – somebody recommending me to somebody. Through recommendations again, I got affiliated with a ministry that pursues the same path I intend to tread. That is something better than I ever dreamed, because on my own I wouldn’t have achieved this so soon.
So, dear reader, God is pushing you into something better; believe, accept, pay attention to the 4 signs, pray, and receive.
