When I was a single man, the identity of my future wife was a mystery to me. At the time, I was dating a woman named Lisa Toscano. I knew I really liked her. I loved her personality and was very attracted to her. But I only wanted to marry the girl that God had selected for me. Lisa was living in Arizona, and I was in Texas. We both wanted God’s direction regarding the future of our relationship. So I told Lisa, “Let’s pray in the Spirit for thirty minutes every day for the next thirty days. Listen to your heart. If you feel a gnawing or uneasy feeling, then God is telling us not to go further in our relationship. But if you have a sense of peace, the Holy Spirit is encouraging us to take the next step in our relationship.” As we prayed, we both individually sensed an overwhelming peace accompanied by anticipation and joy. After the thirty days, we discussed openly what we sensed while we were praying and discovered that we had both experienced the same things. We moved forward and were eventually married. It has been over thirty years, and I am so thankful both of us experienced that peace!

Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons [and daughters] of God.” The passage goes on to explain how the Spirit leads God’s children: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit” (8:16). This is the primary way the Spirit leads us—by His peace or witness.

Have you ever wanted to do something that seemed like the right, logical decision, but every time you thought about it, you experienced a gnawing, uncomfortable feeling? You may have wondered, What’s wrong? Why do I feel this way? Everything about this decision seems right. If you were in communion with the Holy Spirit, that uncomfortable feeling was Him telling you, “Don’t move in that direction.” I have experienced this many times. Sometimes my decision to follow the Spirit’s leading does not make sense until years down the road. I have learned to trust Him in these instances. Remember, His wisdom is not limited to time or space, which means He is always considering your future as He guides your present.

Then there are other times when I have felt a great peace surrounding a decision that seemed like a huge risk. That was the peace of Christ ruling in my heart. Hear the words of the Apostle Paul:

And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. (Colossians 3:15 AMP)