Psalm 5, a Prayer for Guidance

I have been praying for guidance from Lord so much lately as I seek to determine my next step and new goals professionally. I have been through a roller coaster of emotions as I have struggled with the realities that my plan may not be God's plan... and I am accepting that more and more day by day, rather, He is giving me peace about it more and more, day by day.

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, Consider my meditation.
2 Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray.
3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.
4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You.
5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.
6 You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.
9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue.
10 Pronounce them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own counsels; Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, For they have rebelled against You.
11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name, Be joyful in You.
12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

So maybe David calls this a "Prayer for Guidance" ... but how does that relate to my situation. Well, the more I thought out it I go back to the tree/path anaology of Psalm 1. We choose are path to whatever career, job, location, etc... and I think the path is where the guidance comes in... it's kind of like praying that God will get us to the test... not give us the answer. We have to make the conscious decisions to follow the path He has set for us just in order to get to the point of seizing an opportunity or making an important decision that may affect our next step or new goals.

Verse 11 is where the peace comes in... the satisfaction of being content no matter what your situation may be. Because though it may not be ideal, and it may not be your dream... you are blessed to be in the situation. I am blessed to have a job... to have friends... to have students I enjoy working with. And though I may not be totally satisfied with living on campus for a 10th year... I can be satisfied in knowing that I have a stable job, stable income, health insurance, and a home.

I do pray that the Lord will open my eyes to His plan for me, and that along the pathway to fullfilling His plan, I pray that He will teach me the ways of the righteous and that I will not be tempted to go the way of the wicked, which will only take me farther away from His will and plan for my life.

Along with your prayer for guidance, remember to also pray for contentment. :)