What Do You Do When You Don't Know What to Do?
There are moments in life when no amount of planning can solve what's in front of you.
You've made the spreadsheet. You've replayed every conversation. You've asked for advice. You've researched every option. Maybe you've even prayed—but if you're honest, you've spent far more time trying to fix the problem than trusting God with it.
Eventually, many of us arrive at the same place King Jehoshaphat found himself.
"We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You."
That's one of the most honest prayers in the entire Bible.
Psalm 98 is an invitation to praise God, and at first glance it can seem like one of the more familiar songs in the Psalms. It tells God's people to sing a new song, make a joyful noise, and celebrate His salvation. But beneath that familiar language is a surprising pattern that echoes throughout Scripture.
Again and again, God invites His people to worship before they see the breakthrough.
Worship Before the Answer
Most of us naturally think praise comes after God works.
When the prayer is answered.
When the diagnosis improves.
When the relationship is restored.
When the job comes through.
Then we'll celebrate.
But throughout Scripture, God often calls His people to worship first.
One of the clearest examples comes from King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. Judah was surrounded by an overwhelming coalition of armies. They were hopelessly outmatched. Instead of pretending to have the answers, Jehoshaphat prayed one of the simplest—and bravest—prayers in Scripture:
"We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You."
God instructed the king not to trust in military strength. Instead, something remarkable happened. Jehoshaphat placed the worship team at the front of the army.
Not the soldiers. Not the archers. Not the strongest fighters. The singers.
As they began to praise the Lord, God fought the battle for them. Their enemies turned against one another, and Judah experienced a victory they could never have accomplished on their own.
The praise came before the victory.
Paul and Silas Knew the Pattern
Centuries later, Paul and Silas found themselves beaten, chained, and locked in a prison.
There was no indication they were about to be rescued. No promise that morning would be different. No visible reason to sing. Yet at midnight they prayed and sang hymns to God.
Then the prison shook. The chains fell away. The doors opened. It's important to notice what happened first. They didn't sing because they had been delivered.
They sang before they were delivered.
Their worship wasn't based on their circumstances. It was rooted in their confidence that God was still worthy of praise.
Even Jesus Sang
Perhaps the most moving example comes from Jesus Himself.
After celebrating the Passover with His disciples, Matthew tells us something surprisingly simple:
"When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives."
Jesus knew exactly what waited for Him.
Betrayal. Arrest. Mocking. The cross.
Yet before entering Gethsemane, He gathered His disciples and sang.
Most likely, the final song Jesus ever sang before His crucifixion was Psalm 118—a psalm declaring God's faithfulness, proclaiming that the rejected stone would become the cornerstone, and celebrating God's steadfast love.
The Savior walked toward suffering with worship on His lips.
If Jesus chose praise before the cross, perhaps we can choose praise before our own difficult moments too.
What Do You Reach for First?
When life becomes overwhelming, we all instinctively reach for something.
Some of us reach for strategy. Some for control. Some for money. Some for persuasion. Some simply try harder.
None of those things are inherently wrong. Planning is wise. Stewardship matters. Taking action has its place. But they become dangerous when they replace trust.
Psalm 98 invites us to remember that our first response isn't simply to solve the problem.
It's to fix our eyes on God.
Worship has a way of reshaping our perspective. It reminds us who is truly in control. It lifts our eyes above our circumstances and back to the faithfulness of God. Praise doesn't manipulate God into acting. It transforms us into people who trust Him whether He acts immediately or not.
An Invitation This Week
Maybe today you're carrying something that feels impossible.
A relationship. A diagnosis. A financial burden. An uncertain future.
Maybe your prayer sounds a lot like Jehoshaphat's:
"Lord, I don't know what to do."
If so, don't rush past those words.
Finish the prayer.
"But my eyes are on You."
Before you try to solve everything this week, spend time worshiping.
Turn on a worship song during your commute.
Read a psalm aloud.
Thank God for His faithfulness before you've seen the answer.
Because throughout Scripture, God continually invites His people to discover something beautiful:
Sometimes worship isn't the response to the miracle.
Sometimes it's the first step of faith before the miracle comes.
