Every color, size and shape was represented in five heaping piles of university brochures sorted by type: Christian, Ivy League, in-state, out-of-state and even military academies. I had compiled their basic information on a chart and listed the pros and cons of each.

But sitting in the middle of my bedroom floor, I wouldn't have fooled anyone. Every brochure was trying to stand out, defying the order I tried to impose. I had absolutely no idea how to pick a college.

What I really wanted to know was, Where did God want me to go to college? I looked hard and just couldn't find, "Evangeline, thou shalt go to Harvard," written anywhere.

Many times I've longed for God to write His will on the wall or speak to me with an audible voice.

It's an ancient question. More than 3,000 years ago, the Israelites were overwhelming Moses by coming to him "to seek God's will" (Exodus 18:15, New International Version).

Some parts of God's will are very clearly spelled out in the Bible, like giving thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18), avoiding sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3) and doing good (1 Peter 2:15).

Where God is clear in the Bible, we do not have to keep looking for an answer. But when to buy a house? I have looked, and the Bible just does not say.

However, I have learned six principles from Campus Crusade for Christ staff member Keith Davy that I've found helpful. These principles are meant to be used together. Whatever decision you may be struggling with, make a choice based on the whole picture. It can be dangerous to make a decision on one principle you feel strongly about while ignoring the other five.

Surrender your attitude and personal desires.

Think through why you would want to make a certain choice. Are your desires in alignment with God's desires?

I remember seeing a skit in high school that illustrated this idea. A young man was praying, begging God to tell him where to go to college. Every once in a while God would reply, "Quit sleeping with your girlfriend." The point was, the young man's sin was going to change the course of his life much more than the college he attended.

Beth Moore, an author and the founder of Living Proof Ministries, wrote, "I can vividly remember times in my life when God seemed silent and I realized He was waiting on me to confront and confess certain sins in my life."

Meditate on God's Word.

When you make a decision, it should line up with, or at least not contradict, what God has already said through the Bible. There are no hidden answers in the Bible, but guidelines that can help you make decisions.

In college I thought God was asking me to break up with a long-term boyfriend. We had dated for three-and-a-half years, and I wanted to marry him. In the process of thinking through what to do, I looked up every verse in the Bible about love. In the end, God made it clear through Scripture that our relationship did not reflect God's love. Instead, what I learned helped me to accept God's love in the painful months following our breakup.

Spend focused time in prayer.

As you ask God what to do, write down the sense of direction you get from Him over time.

Luke 5:16 records that "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (NIV). Even God's Son needed to escape the pressure of daily life to spend time with His Father. When you are seeking God's will on a decision, spending a weekend at a hotel praying or in a room alone for a few hours can give God the opportunity to be heard over the noise of daily life.

Seek other people's opinions.

Find people you consider mature, dedicated Christians and ask them what they think you should do. The opinions you receive may conflict, but they should give you other perspectives to think about.

One of the hardest decisions I ever made was becoming a staff member with Campus Crusade for Christ. I sought advice from many people. In the end, I had to recognize that moving away was going to cause my family and friends pain. That understanding helped me sort through the advice and also honor their feelings when I did move.

Remember, you are responsible for the decision you make. Seeking advice is wise, but you still need to work through the other principles. Do not let someone else make your decision for you.

Consider your circumstances.

God can open and close opportunities. God, not circumstances, should guide your decision-making. But God may use events in your life to point you in a certain direction.

When my husband and I wanted to buy our first house, we kept praying that if we were making a mistake, God would cause the deal to fall through. A week before we were supposed to close, we found out that we were rejected for a $5,000 housing grant.

We were disappointed and decided to spend the next day asking God what He wanted us to do. We did not tell anyone what had happened, but that day, one of our ministry partners called and told us they had decided to give us $5,000 toward a house down payment. Combined with the other five principles, that event gave us confidence to go ahead and buy the house.

Think through your decision logically.

God's Spirit can direct your mind and reasoning. Sometimes Christians can want to follow God's will so badly, they forget to think the decision through. Create a list with all of your options and write out the benefits and drawbacks to each.

Please be honest with yourself. When talking about the cost of following God, Jesus explained, "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?" (Luke 14:28, NIV). It can be easy to get excited about the possible advantages of a new job, house or even ministry and downplay the cost. For example, a new job may offer better pay and more prestige, making it tempting to ignore the extra travel that will hurt your family.

Try journaling as you work through each of these six principles and look for clarity to emerge. If you are still confused, it may be you need to wait before making a decision and continue to think through these guidelines. But if all six principles are pointing in the same direction, prayerfully move forward, trusting God to guide you as you go.

Nothing you decide will surprise God. Proverbs 16:9 says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps" (NIV). We get to know God better when we seek to do what is right. But your relationship with God is secure if you are a Christian.

As you work through the six principles, remind yourself that, while your decisions matter to God, He is still in control.

Contact the writer at evangeline.vergo@ccci.org.