9:20-22). Therefore, every choice requires you to trust in the Lord. It might be good to list the pros and cons of a circumstance, weighing the different alternatives and what they would mean. Smith writes, “While God can, if he chooses, lead us contrary to reason, we may trust that in such cases he will make his directions unmistakably clear.”[7] We don’t believe that God will lead us “contrary to reason,” as Smith says. Have faith and trust in God “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). Pro’s for ministry, fellowship, or the overall cause of Christ. This may or may not surprise us, but one of the primary ways for learning the will of God is to think about it. Pray for wisdom and direction. And in Proverbs 3, he imparts wisdom, about how unimportant wisdom is... in … 5:16). When we put all our trust in Him, He gives us the direction we need to move in. 5:20; Rom. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. The Word of God provides profound wisdom for making choices in our life. Scotty Smith is the founding pastor of Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee. In the midst of this, the birth of the child teaches both of the parents responsibility, commitment, and sacrificial love. But if we ask ourselves a few questions, we can have confidence in our decision-making, even if God steps in to nudge us along or slow us down. Four Steps in Making Decisions. 4:15; Eph. In these cases, we can trust that God will “close a door,” so to speak. As we put our trust in God, rather than ourselves, we soon discover what decisions are pleasing to Him. For instance, Jesus had a personal and individual calling for his life (Mt. However, they often fail to read the entire verse, which adds, “To those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This promise only applies to those who “love God” and are pursuing “His purpose”—not their own purposes. In order to continue in the middle of God’s perfect will, it is vital that we make right decisions each day and each week. When you stop trusting in God and you start leaning onto your own understanding you start making bad decisions. We do not feel comfortable saying that there are inviolable rules for each of these questions—only biblical principles and reasons for adopting one option over another. (3) Does Scripture directly speak to this question, or should on biblical principles that will help? After careful examination of God’s Word, let the peace in your heart decide with finality every question that arises in your mind. How can we discern the will of God for these very complex decisions? Of course, sometimes God has a better plan than what we can create from our finite perspective. Often, believers are confident that Scripture is silent on their decision, so they never even think to look at Scripture. However, God also declares in his word that he works through human agency (Mt. 4:6). David Plays the Lyre. Getting practical is often helpful. Copyright © 2020 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. Quiet Subversion After a Chaotic Election, 7 Ways to Kill the Thanksgiving Impulse in Your Life, The Imagination’s Role in the Work of Apologetics. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Though we may not always see what's ahead, God does. “Super-spirituality” refers to holding to a low view of human agency. Which side is more certain? Prov. This statement sounds much like the thinking of the super-spiritual believer: “Why wouldn’t I move to a new city, if it could result in some extra money? 2. While God will sometimes supernaturally make his will known to us, we shouldn’t expect that this is normative. Sometimes after a long period of thoughtful, reasonable, and prayerful reflection, we can still make a decision that God will want to override. While God did work graciously through this situation, this doesn’t warrant making the same mistake in the future. Smith, M. Blaine. Pastor John explains the ground and steps he takes in making decisions for the glory of God. Paul chose Timothy as a missionary because “he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium” (Acts 16:2). 14:12 NIV). I must engage my mind with these truths. The problem is most of us don't know how to figure out God's will in every decision we face—especially the big, life-altering decisions. It’s not enough to just know them, like I know that 2 + 2 = 4 and that kale tastes gross. 12:2 NIV). Decision Making and the Will of God. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” In the same way, while God will work through our poor decisions, this doesn’t warrant making similar decisions in the future, some of which are irreversible (Heb. For instance, meditation on Scripture will help us to bear spiritual fruit (Ps. The Bible teaches that God will lead us like a Shepherd leads his sheep (Jn. If God really loved us enough to give us his Son, why would we believe that he would hold back on anything else (Rom. 32:8-9). (Jas. [4] Smith, M. Blaine. And you can’t trust God if you’re worrying about the things you’re trusting Him with. For this reason, we should be careful not to “exceed what is written” (1 Cor. Heavenly Father, some decisions are “no brainers,” and some require nothing more than sanctified common sense. 7:9; Ps. Evidence Unseen © 2020. Advisors, parents and friends all asked the same question: What are you going to do with that? 4. Who seeks to benefit from this decision? Making Decisions and Trusting God. Reggie Lewis serves as a potent illustration of this practice. Earlier, Paul split from John Mark because of his past desertion on their missionary journey (Acts 15:38). “What city should I live in?”). Conscience decisions are issues that the Bible addresses, but are up to the prerogative of the believer. 2:25; 5:4; Mt. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1991. And maybe cast lots. There are lots of different types of decisions we need to make day to day, but there are three categories worth honing in on when considering scenarios where we need to make spiritual decisions:. If I’m going to succeed in trusting God, I must actively, constantly call these truths about God to mind. Trusting God To Help Us Make Decisions. Watch Queue Queue Of course, he is open to God correcting him if he is wrong (“if the Lord will let me” v.7). For instance, imagine if we applied this perspective to other important areas of life: -Should we counsel college students not to study, because “God will work it out somehow” for their final exam? (2) How much time have you spent in prayer about this major life change? Rather, God will sometimes have a greater reason than we might perceive. Psalm 119:105 states that God’s word “is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” A lamp only shows us a few steps ahead. Chicago: Moody, 1971. For instance, a super-spiritual believer might say, “God is in control, so I don’t need to share my faith. Knowing God’s Will: Finding Guidance for Personal Decisions. Spiritual Problems. Trusting God is not about ignoring your feelings or reality. marriage, career, etc. But we would never feel comfortable claiming this with absolute certainty. This is why the Bible speaks so much about the need for wise counsel: (Prov. God will make something beautiful of your life, but he needs your trust … 9:14). Only He views your life from an eternal and comprehensive perspective. 20:18) Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war. Instead, he determined God’s will based on those who were coming to Christ in the city (“wide-open door” for ministry). Since the Bible isn’t crystal clear on these issues (e.g. Now consider if the man later said, “Fornicating with my girlfriend was the best decision that I ever made… It pushed me to marry my wife, gave me my newborn girl, and turned my life around for Christ.”. Col. 3:15 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1:4; 1 Cor. -Should we tell the unemployed person to stop looking for a job, because “God will work it out somehow”? God was preparing me for the opportunity that would come. Likewise, when looking to recognize leaders for service, the NT offers objective criteria above anything else. We might characterize these four different decisions in this way: Regarding complex decisions, often believers will say, “I just feel a calling…” or “I know that God would want this for me…” But how do we know this? 4:16-17) But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 15:22) Without counsel plans go wrong, but with many advisers they succeed. Knowing God’s Will: Finding Guidance for Personal Decisions. (Prov. The pressure's off you now and on God, and he can handle it perfectly. Me or the cause of Christ? So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name. Instead, humility is in order in assessing (and often reassessing) our direction, which is subject to change. Trusting God for Decision-Making Peace. 23 But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you. 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