God, Give Me a Sign: The One Thing You Actually Need Instead

Inside: Are you praying, “God, give me a sign,”? Stop! Learn why you may want to hold off on asking God for a sign. Plus, discover the single, more critical thing you need instead of a sign from God.

I made a list of signs once. It was a secret list.

First, I wrote a list of signs that I didn’t want to be in a relationship with my boyfriend anymore. Then I wrote a list of why I should stay with him.

I ended up with 10 things on my list of signs and 1 thing on my list of why I should stay. So…

I stayed.

I know, I know. But we’d been together for a long time and I was scared of what my life would look like without him. As unhappy as I was with him, it was familiar unhappiness and I was scared to face the uncertainty of the unknown.

The interesting thing is, in the entire painful history of the relationship, I never once prayed, “God, give me a sign. What should I do?”

Sure, I cried out to him on repeat, begging for help. I asked him to change my situation and take my unhappiness away. But mostly I relied on myself—not Him—to decide what was best.

Meanwhile, God was giving me signs all over the place to ditch the relationship. Looking back now, I can see them clearly.

You’re probably missing signs from God about your situation too.

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Asking God for a Sign: The Number 1 Reason Why We Do It

The signs I missed in my situation were a bunch of red flags. You see, my boyfriend kept hurting me emotionally but I didn’t see his abuse for what it was.

I just knew I felt unworthy—like I was not good enough for him. And all I wanted was to figure out how to be a better woman so he would love me the way I loved him.

See? Red flags all over the place.

Meanwhile, what I should have been praying for was the courage to see the truth right in front of me. Plus, the courage to do what was right and best in His sight, including stepping into uncertainty.

And now you’re in a similar boat, struggling through a difficult season of not knowing what to do.

Maybe it’s because you don’t like your husband anymore and you want to know if you should go or stay.

Or maybe you’re miserable at work, clinging to a well-paying job you hate, desperate for God to give you a sign so you can leave it.

Or maybe you’ve gone through a wringer of a season wondering why God was silent and now you need a sign that you’re still special to Him.

A Sign from God for Certainty

Whatever the reason, you’re in a situation where you don’t know what to do. And now you want guarantees and certainty from God. So you pray, “God, give me a sign.”

On the other hand, you may already know what you want to do in your uncertain situation. You’ve made a decision and all you need now is a rubber-stamp sign of agreement and blessing from God.

During the unhappy years of my relationship, I wanted God to deliver me from my unhappiness. But it honestly never occurred to me to ask God for a sign.

The truth is, I would have been too scared to ask for one. And maybe you should think twice about asking God to give you a sign too.

Here’s why.

God, Give Me a Sign: Are You Testing Him?

Maybe, like me, you were taught to fear asking God for a sign because it showed disrespect or lack of trust. Let’s talk about why this can be true.

We’ll use what may be the best-known example in the Bible of asking God for a sign—Gideon.

Gideon asked God to give him a sign so he would know for sure it was the Lord talking to Him.

Then he said to him, “If I have found favor with you, give me a sign that you are speaking with me.
Judges 6:17 (CSB)

A little later on, Gideon asked God to send a sign that He would keep His promise to deliver Israel. Twice.

Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.”…Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.”
Judges 6:36-37, 39 (ESV)

In Gideon’s case, He was asking God for a sign because of his own lack of faith in God’s trustworthiness. He was testing God as a way to calm his fears and doubts.

Gideon prayed, “God, give me a sign,” with wrong motives in his heart.

Are you doing the same?

Are you praying for God to send you a sign because you lack faith? Do you want God to give you a sign as a success guarantee?

If so, let’s hear Jesus’ take on the issue.

Jesus’ Position on Asking for Signs

Even compassionate, understanding Jesus didn’t play the game of giving signs to doubters. Yes, He performed lots of signs to verify and establish His identity as the Messiah.

Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Isaiah 35:5 (CSB)

But Jesus drew the line at performing on-demand signs meant as a test.

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, demanding of him a sign from heaven to test him. Sighing deeply in his spirit, he said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
Mark 8:11-12 (CSB)

Between Jesus and Gideon, you can see this whole praying for God to send you a sign business in a whole new light.

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Are You Sure You Can Handle a Sign?

The truth is, you may prefer God to not send you a sign. We have an example of this in the Bible.

Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz: “Ask for a sign from the Lord your God—it can be as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven.” But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask. I will not test the Lord.”
Isaiah 7:10-12 (CSB)

God invited Ahaz to ask Him for a sign—we’ll come back to this in a minute—but Ahaz didn’t take up God’s offer. Ahaz didn’t feel the need to test God because his faith was so strong.

But this may not be the case for you. Maybe you’re better off if God doesn’t give you a sign because you’re afraid of what you’d have to do in response.

For example, I stayed in a toxic relationship when my own list of signs far outweighed my list of reasons to stay. What if I’d prayed, “God, give me a sign!” and He’d straight up told me to leave?

Since we were living together without being married, I knew the relationship wasn’t right in God’s. So He for sure wouldn’t have given me a sign to stay.

What would I have done then?

I was already ignoring all the red flags waving in my face. Plus, I’d rooted part of my identity in this relationship and I was scared to death of even thinking about life without it.

I for sure didn’t have the courage to walk away. So I would have disobeyed God’s sign if I’d asked for one.

This leads me to ask: Are you prepared for the possible consequences of praying, “God, give me a sign,”?

The One Thing You Need Instead of a Sign from God

Most of us wish God would give us a sign when we’re faced with uncertainty. Maybe you:

Need to make a difficult decision.
Want reassurance of success or a good outcome.
Want God’s blessing on your decision.

Here’s the kicker, though. Most of the time, you don’t need God to send you a sign.

Most of the time, God is already giving you, signs, feedback, and alerts all over the place.

For example, He usually gives you all the signs you need through His word, through godly counsel, or even through visions and dreams.

Usually, you pray, “God, send me a sign,” because you want certainty. But there’s no guarantee of certainty because life is uncertain. We don’t like to think so, but it is.

What you need instead is to increase your faith.

In the face of your uncertain circumstances, you need faith and belief in 3 truths from the Bible.

1. God is good and He means you good.

For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 (CSB)

2. God is trustworthy and deserves your trust.

For the word of the Lord is right, and all his work is trustworthy.
Psalm 33:4 (CSB)

3. God has your back, always.

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 (CSB)

So instead of praying, “God, give me a sign,” be like King Ahaz. Gather your faith, say prayers for fear and courage, face what’s in front of you, and trust God.

Your Next Step, without a Sign from God

Back when I was suffering through the most miserable period of my life, it never occurred to me to pray, “God, send me a sign.” I’d been taught it was taboo. Plus, I would have been too scared of His answer anyway.

Now, I’m glad I didn’t ask God for a sign. I was already ignoring the obvious ones around me anyway.

Looking back now, I know I didn’t need a sign from God. What I needed was to make a wise and godly decision. Then pray for the courage, confidence, and faith to take the next step God showed me.

I recommend the same for you.

You don’t need to frustrate or exhaust yourself waiting on God for a sign you don’t even need. Instead, activate your faith!

Pray for God’s guidance to make a wise decision, then move forward with confidence that, no matter how it works out, God’s got you.

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