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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect..
*Romans 12.2, ESV
Try to learn what pleases the Lord.
*Ephesians 5.10, NCV
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Bob Mumford, in Take Another Look at Guidance, compares finding God's will to a sea captain's docking processes.
Mumford tells that you can reach a certain Italian harbor only by sailing up a narrow channel between dangerous rocks and shoals. Many ships have wrecked there and navigation is hazardous.
Three lights have been put on three huge poles to guide ships safely into port. When the lights are aligned and seen as one, the ship can safely go up the channel. If the captain sees two or three lights, he knows the ship is off course and in danger.
God, says Mumford, has given three beacons to guide us. He proposes the three lights must be lined up before we can safely proceed.
1) The Word of God (objective standard)
2) The Holy Spirit (subjective witness)
3) Circumstances (divine providence)
The United Methodist Church teaches there are four lights for discerning God's leading, with Scripture being the foundational source for Divine guidance:
1) The Tradition of the Church
2) Human Reason
3) The Scripture
4) Experience
Today, I went on a long trip. I did not know how to get to the destination. I went to an online site, found directions, and wrote them down. I had something objective to look at, and did refer to it several times. I did not just attempt to sense the way, or rely only on what I might call "intuition."
Whatever process we use to discern God's will, we need a clear, practical scheme. That is our map. An objective component in the scheme protects against being overly subjective, while the subjective is important for often the inner sense of being led is a key element in discerning Divine guidance. Using both objective and subjective aspects in discerning Divine leading is important.
Even with a good scheme, we will make mistakes in discerning God's will. We must be forgiving of others and ourselves in this matter.
We are aided by remembering God's will often includes options. Craig Brian Larson compares this to sailing a sailboat.
Relying on the boat to stay afloat, you slide across the water propelled by a gentle breeze. Yet within the confines of the shores, you have the opportunity and responsibility of guiding the rudder to determine the direction of travel.
This means that some decisions will work out positively, others will not. We can too easily conclude, if our decision seems to fail, "Well, I must have gotten out of God's will." God's will does not always mean success. Some choices turn out good, some not, and in either case we might have been faithful in our choice.
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1) Have you ever made a decision that turned out badly, but you are still certain you were within God's will? Explain.
2) What process do you follow in discerning God's will? What are objective aspects of the process? Subjective ones?
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*The Larson analogy and Mumford example is from Craig Brian Larson, Ed. Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching.
*Charitable contributions would be appreciated to assist Brian in continuing his ministry. For contributions, contact Brian at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Brian's book of spiritual love poetry, An Ache for Union: Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major booksellers or the Cokesbury on-line store, cokesbury.com .
*Brian K. Wilcox, a United Methodist Pastor, lives in Southwest Florida. He is a vowed member of Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a contemplative life and seeks to inspire others to enjoy a more intimate relationship with Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused, experiential Christianity and renewal of the Church through addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons.
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