Living By Faith Blog

Does God promise success?

Faith means trusting all that God promises to be to us in Christ Jesus.

So what exactly does God promise?

Recently a reader asked whether God promises him success in pursuing nursing school.

I thought I’d post his question — share my thoughts — and then invite you to share your thoughts in the “comments” section below.

So here’s —

The reader’s question

Hi Steve.  I have a question for you.

I am pursuing my prerequisites for acceptance into nursing school.

I am actually doing quite well.  I have been working hard and I feeling more goal-oriented than ever in my life.  I feel like this opportunity is a “2nd chance” in life for me.

This goal would be incredible if I could actually achieve it, but I know I can’t achieve it on my own.  I need God’s help.

So how can I know if God will help me?

If He spoke supernaturally to me then I would know — and the question then would be, do I believe that it will come to pass, despite all the adversity?

I would love to have confidence that God is with me in this venture.

That way when I look at all the Giants that are in the way I would not shrink back, but say with confidence — “If God is with me then it doesn’t matter what comes against me.”

So how can I know specifically what promises I can apply, and will you pray for me and ask God if He would clearly tell me?

I started school with a very clear prayer request that God would guide my steps.  Right now they are heading in the direction of nursing, and I really want to become a nurse.

Can I have confirmation, so I can have more power behind my efforts?

Thank you for your trusted response.

A Reader

My answer

Great to hear from you, Reader.  Your plans for nursing school sound exciting.

So how can you know for sure if God will help you?

This is important because, as you say, if you can be sure God will help you then you can put your full effort into this pursuit.

You mention that God has not given you a supernatural call to pursue nursing school.  But that should not discourage you, because often He does not guide us supernaturally.

But it seems you have every reason to think God HAS called you to pursue nursing school.  The reason I say this is because —

• it’s not sinful,
• it’s a way to obey God and support yourself,
• it’s interesting to you,
• and you have asked God to guide and correct you.

So until He gives you a red light — I’d assume it’s His will.

Which means you can be 100% certain that He will fulfill all of His promises to you as you pursue this venture.

But here’s where it gets a little tricky.  God has not promised that you will get into nursing school.

The truth is that God can call us to do things that seem to us to have poor results — like when God called Stephen to preach the Gospel — and he was stoned to death (Acts 8:58).

But God was still fulfilling all His promises to Stephen — strengthening him, encouraging him, and accomplishing His will through  him.

So could God call you to pursue nursing school and have you not get accepted?

I think the answer has to be Yes — that’s possible.

BUT — if He were to do this — it’s not that you were out of His will.  And it’s not that He’s broken any promises to you.

It’s that often He calls us into trials as a way to experience even more of His closeness and show others His supreme value.

And in and through all this He would comfort you, let you know you are in His will, provide for you, and sustain you.

So — if it’s possible that you won’t get accepted into nursing school — should you pursue this with all your might?  Yes.  Absolutely.

Because you believe God has called you to pursue this — and we should do everything He calls us to do with all our might (Col 3:23-25).

So go for it.  The Father is smiling upon you.

You will either get into nursing school — showing the Father’s goodness and mercy to you and giving you joy in Him — or you will not.

But if you are not accepted — then the increased joy God will give you during this trial, the “well done, good and faithful servant,” the glory your faith will give to Him — will be worth it all.

Does that help answer your question?  Let me know — and I’m praying for you.

Steve

The reader’s answer

Hi Steve,

That makes great sense!

Thank you for the wisdom, and for your prayers.

A Reader

How would you answer this reader?

Share your thoughts in the Comments section below — thanks.

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And here’s some related resources you might find helpful —

• What Are the Promises of God?
• I Always Only Have One Problem
• Praying With Faith
• Screwtape On How To Attack Faith (With Thanks To C. S. Lewis)

(Picture is by euthman on everystockphoto.)