how to know if the feeling in my heart is God telling me to do something or if it's just my own desire.

[Never thirsty!]

I was looking for colleges but I didn't even know what I really wanted to go to college for I have a feeling in my heart that feels like God's trying to tell me to pursue music and make music to lead the listeners to Christ but I'm not sure if that's what God's telling me to do or if it's my own desire I remember I was playing one of my songs during advisory for my teacher at the end of last semester because she wasn't permanent but she was a really cool teacher anyway I went to my locker to get something and came back a couple minutes later. I got home and found a note from her in the pocket of my case and it said "Keep making music don't ever quit" and I was wondering if that was God's way of subtly saying "This is the path I have set before you follow it" because I have had a feeling in my heart that's has been prompting me to find books that could help me improve my guitar skills, singing skills and songwriting skills but I know if it is God this passion won't fade away like all the others and He will make a way for me to pursue this career I have also been randomly reading my bible and come across something that makes me say this could make a really good song so I will jot it down and put music guitar chords to it and it sounds good after about fifteen minutes of practicing it and putting it together.

[mechana2015]

Or you could go to college and get a degree in music performance.

[Never thirsty!]

Yeah I was thinking that but that's not what I meant I'm trying I don't want pursue a career that doesn't follow the path God put before me so I don't want to pursue the career if that's not what God intends because that would mess up His whole plan for my life and I don't want to do that, but if it is that's great because I would really like to tour with Winter Jam or co-headline or tour with For Today or someone like that but I feel like God's telling me to do this I just want to be sure it's Him so how can I be sure because again just to make sure this is clear I don't want to pursue a career that God hasn't set out for me because it's a waste of tuition and a student loan debt that got me a job that I don't even really want to be doing for the rest of my life I think I'll considered every career that I wish to follow and then I will dwindle them down based on if I could actually see myself being content with that career forty years from now.

[Davidizer13]

Well...yes, there is all that to consider, but if you're absolutely convinced that doing this is God's plan for you, wouldn't you step out into that in faith and let God provide the rest? If that bit with the note's true, you've got a pretty solid sign in my view, but take it as you will. But even if you don't end up in music the way you described, a bachelors' at least looks good on a resume. Art's a pretty up-and-down field, with or without a degree, but that at least gives you a little more leverage.

Alternatively, if you wanted to stay directly tied to Christian functions, you could go into worship ministry, but that's an even tougher route than straight music performance, thanks to all the other demands on worship leaders beyond playing music. Just something else to keep in mind.

[K. Ayato]

Even if you have a band, you'll need some way to support yourself. Money just doesn't get stuffed into your pocket if you solely want to focus on writing music and performing.

[Xeno]

Pretty sure the concept of god having a plan for someone's life never included everything being specifically told to them. For believers there is supposed to be a faith element where you trust you're doing the right thing, knowing full well you could be doing the completely wrong thing and it could all collapse.

But if you're even half as good as your say you are, just keep on practicing and getting a music degree would make you a better player (classically trained players always are). Rock on MMA Guitar Hero dude.

[ClaecElric4God]

What's already been said. If you think this is what God wants you to do, keep praying about it and pursue it. If you're going into this on faith and trusting God to lead you down the right path, and what to do His will, then you just have to trust that He'll open the right doors and close the wrong ones. If you truly want and pursue God's will for your life, I can assure you He won't let the wrong way be an option.

[Yuki-Anne]

Yeah I was thinking that but that's not what I meant I'm trying I don't want pursue a career that doesn't follow the path God put before me so I don't want to pursue the career if that's not what God intends because that would mess up His whole plan for my life and I don't want to do that

I'm pretty sure God's smart enough that if you make a bad decision he's not going to smack his forehead and go, "Well, so much for that guy." And the whole "God's plan for my life" thing kind of implies that you're only ever going to do one thing or follow one career path. That's really not how he works. I think he's cool with us making our own decisions on some things if the ultimate goal of those things is to follow him. And God can even use sinful choices. I mean, I'm pretty sure "God's whole plan" for David's life wouldn't have included adultery with Bathsheba, and yet the next king of Israel, and down the line all the way to Jesus Christ, resulted from that.

In the grand scheme of things you're not going to "mess up" anything. God's smarter than that.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

God wants you to do what you want to do and what will make you happy.

[Yuki-Anne]

God wants you to do what you want to do and what will make you happy.

I wouldn't necessarily say that, especially since, judging from another thread, apparently what he wants to do is send people to the hospital just because he feels like he has to prove something.

Also,

I got home and found a note from her in the pocket of my case and it said "Keep making music don't ever quit" and I was wondering if that was God's way of subtly saying "This is the path I have set before you follow it"

Nah, I think that was your teacher's way of subtly saying, "Keep making music don't ever quit". Also, just speaking from a teacher's perspective, I always encourage my students to continue studying, even if they're really bad. Sometimes ESPECIALLY if they're really bad. So your teacher might be encouraging you, not because you're as awesome as you seem to think you are, but because she's a teacher and that's what we're supposed to do.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

God wants you to do what you want to do and what will make you happy.

I wouldn't necessarily say that, especially since, judging from another thread, apparently what he wants to do is send people to the hospital just because he feels like he has to prove something.

Oh. Well in that case God wants you to do what you want to do and what will make you happy as long as it is not at the expense of others.

[ClosetOtaku]

God wants you to do what you want to do and what will make you happy.

I wouldn't necessarily say that, especially since, judging from another thread, apparently what he wants to do is send people to the hospital just because he feels like he has to prove something.

Oh. Well in that case God wants you to do what you want to do and what will make you happy as long as it is not at the expense of others.

God said that? I thought that was Aleister Crowley.

[Xeno]

Idk, that sounds like pretty solid theology.

[shooraijin]

Don't go there. I mean it.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I was just being facetious. I apologize.