How Leaders Find Direction When Clarity Feels Cloudy

When You’re Called But Can’t See the Next Step on the Map...What Do You Do?

Yesterday, in the lobby of a hotel as I prepared to head back to Virginia, I sat in a conversation with a mentor of mine, Pastor Josh Hannah. This conversation led me to realize something. Most leaders, including me, don’t enter into seasons of “stuck” because we’re afraid of moving forward. Instead, it’s born out of the inability to clearly see the next step.

We’re willing to do the work. We’re ready to make sacrifices. But we hesitate because the next move just isn’t obvious.

And in a world obsessed with five-year plans and perfect positioning, that uncertainty feels like failure.

My conversation with Pastor Josh brought this into focus. I shared with him that I could see strategy for the things I was building, but I couldn’t see where my life was being called.

That kind of disconnect is unsettling. And it’s not because you’re lost, but because you’re unsure which path will take you to where God’s calling you to go.

If you’ve ever wrestled with that tension, you’re not alone. The frustrating truth is this: you can be deeply called and still feel unclear.

The question isn’t whether you’ll face that kind of season. It’s what you’ll do in it.

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The Illusion of Perfect Clarity

Most leaders think they need a full and clear vision before making a move. We want the complete strategy laid out before we’re willing to commit.

But clarity often shows up after movement, not before it.

In fact, when you study how strong organizations and spiritually grounded leaders operate, you’ll find a common thread: they don’t wait for flawless conditions. They discern what’s true, take aligned steps, and allow clarity to unfold over time.

That’s not recklessness. It’s obedience.

So the real leadership challenge isn’t how to gain clarity, it’s how to stay faithful when clarity isn’t yet clear.

We expect God to drop a full map before we take the first step. But what if that’s not how God leads? What if the map is drawn as you walk?

This is an actual theological shift more than it’s a mindset one. And there’s a scripture that captures it with clarity and weight.

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” - Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

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This is so much more than a feel-good memory verse. It’s a leadership framework.

Trust first.
Submission second.
Clarity third.

We often flip the order. We want understanding before we trust.

We want direction before we submit.

But this passage doesn’t promise that kind of control. It promises clarity on the other side of surrender.

And that reorders everything.

Alignment Always Precedes Direction

You don’t get straight paths without straight priorities. When clarity seems absent, the first question can never be, “What’s the next opportunity?” It must be, “Am I walking in alignment?”

The condition of your heart determines the clarity of your path.

That’s why the verse starts with, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” If part of your heart is clinging to control or distraction, the path ahead gets blurry.

Before chasing a breakthrough, check your baseline. Are your disciplines consistent? Is your counsel wise? Are you rooted in scripture or reactive to emotion?

Most of the time, God’s not silent, even when it feels that way. He’s just not going to compete with all the other voices we’ve given attention to.

Trusting God with “all your heart” doesn’t mean waiting for the entire story before saying yes. It means taking the next faithful step when you can’t see ten steps ahead.

When I’ve had to lead through major decisions, whether for myself or my organizations, I rarely had full clarity up front. But I had a conviction about the next right thing. And that was enough.

The second half of Proverbs 3:5 says, “lean not on your own understanding.”

It’s almost as if God is giving us a warning against becoming over-reliant on intellect when the Spirit is trying to lead.

Trust and logic are not enemies but one has to take the lead.

Ask the Questions That Expose What’s Hidden

If you’re feeling stuck, it might not be because God’s withholding direction. It might be because you're asking the wrong questions.

Next time you’re facing a lack of direction in your life, try starting the clarity process off by asking:

• What am I clinging to that God’s asking me to release?

• Where am I assuming control where I should be surrendering?

• What area of my life feels most aligned with trusting God?

• What step have I been delaying because I’m afraid it won’t work?

These are Proverbs 3 questions. They push you beyond your own understanding and toward full-hearted trust.

The most effective leaders don’t just look for signals, they listen for whispers.

Scripture shows that God often speaks in the quiet, not the crowd.

Proverbs 3:6 says, “in all your ways submit to him.” Submission requires presence. It demands a posture of listening that goes beyond just strategizing.

If you want to hear from God, you have to make space for His voice to actually speak.

For me, clarity doesn’t usually hit during the staff meeting or the brainstorm session. It comes in the morning with an open Bible, a quiet room, and no agenda other than, “Speak, Lord. I’m listening. Teach me today.”

When You Can’t See the Path, Do This

If you’re in a season where clarity feels distant, here are five moves that realign your leadership with Proverbs 3:

1. Set a Daily Anchor

Build a non-negotiable rhythm into your day that creates space for spiritual clarity. Read. Reflect. Listen. The volume of God’s voice often rises as your pace slows down. This must become the foundation of your day.

2. Record the Whispers

Keep a journal of questions, ideas, or nudges that arise during your time with God. You can do it on your phone, in a notebook, however works best for you. Over time, you’ll see connections you couldn’t see in the moment. That’s the “He will make your paths straight” part in action.

3. Move on Conviction, Not Certainty

Clarity doesn’t mean comfort. READ THAT AGAIN. Often, the right step is the one you’re most afraid to take. If it aligns with scripture, godly counsel, and wise stewardship…it’s probably time to move.

4. Filter Your Decisions

Use Proverbs 3 as a filter: Am I trusting God in this, or leaning on my own understanding? Am I submitting this fully, or still holding parts back? Run every major decision through that grid.

5. Don’t Mistake Delay for Denial

Sometimes God delays clarity to deepen your dependency on him. Trust that your obedience is building a runway for future clarity, even if the skies still feel cloudy. In my own journey, some of the greatest blessings was when God held me in a place until I was ready for the next one.

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The Kind of Clarity That Actually Lasts

The more I lead, the more I believe that clarity isn’t about seeing the whole picture. It’s about being in step with the one who’s painting it.

God’s will for your life is so much more valuable than having clarity for on obtaining what you want in life.

And that’s what Proverbs 3:5–6 offers. A structure. Not a guarantee of ease, but a promise of direction when we stop trying to direct ourselves.

So if you’re in a season of uncertainty right now, don’t retreat. Don’t panic. Don’t try to control the outcomes.

Trust with your whole heart.

Submit in every way.

And keep walking forward, even if it’s one obedient step at a time.

The path will get straighter than you think.

Comment below if you’re in a season of trust over clarity and let me know how I can pray for you!

Be blessed this week!

—Jared