OnFire #310 Discerning God's Will

OnFire Encouragement Letter

OnFire #310 Discerning God’s Will

Hi Folks:

I’ve got some neat news. On Feb 17, one of my devotionals appears in the Upper Room. The Upper Room is the largest publication daily devotional in the world, so I think that’s pretty cool. On Feb 17, my devotional is in both the print and online editions. If you visit the online version, you can also access my follow-up blog post.

Here is the link to the Upper Room. http://devotional.upperroom.org/

Twitter users will be pleased to know I’m now on Twitter. Follow me @DTroyDennis

Ian has started interviewing for jobs. He will graduate from his forestry and wildlife program in May, so this is important. We appreciate your prayers for him in this.

OnFire is perhaps a little different this time, more teaching oriented. However, these are some of the principles that we have used to discern God’s direction and will for us. I pass them along hoping they are helpful.  There is always more to clarify or add. Feel free to email.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Changing jobs, moving, a major purchase or sale such as a car or house, education choice, career direction, time commitments, and change in marriage status are all examples of major life decisions about which we ought to be concerned for God’s direction in our lives.  You may have your own concerns and life decisions to fill out my list of examples.

I’ve put together some of the principles we use to help us discern God’s will.  I’m not going to claim to have some kind of perfect handle on this. As always, we need to move forward in faith and humility.

This is a Process

When I say process, I’m thinking a few things. It is not linear, and there is no way to predict how long it will take. “Do these five steps in order, bake at 350 for 10 minutes, and Ding! You have a decision.” Please read mild sarcasm in this. We’re not making muffins. We’re making major life decisions. 

Seek Holiness

Holiness is fast-becoming an old-fashioned term, but comes from passages like 1 Peter 1:15, “just as he who called you is holy, be holy.…” Sin creates spiritual noise and complication which makes it hard to hear God.  As the Spirit convicts, confess and repent (1 John 1:9).

Slow the boat

When a friend and I first began running rapids in a local river, we got stuck on almost every rock. After a while we realized if we slowed the canoe it gave us time to form a plan and line up the boat for the best angle of attack.

The same principle works in life. We often feel anxious about the future and we just want to make a decision so we can get on with life and get rid of our worry. Most situations, however, do not need an answer right now, and in fact, would benefit from slowing down the process. Resist the pressure to decide right now.

Pray

We sometimes take this part of the process too lightly. We toss God a quick prayer and then wonder why He doesn’t send a plane to write it in the sky.

Prayer is both talking, and listening. Depending on the nature of the decision, we may consider fasting as well. We have to allow God time to speak to us, in particular about our motivation. Is this only about what we want, or is it truly what God may want for us?

Even though I list prayer here, it needs to be part of the entire process.

Ask: Does it go against God’s revealed will?

God is not going to lead us in a direction that goes against what He has already told us in the Bible. We would call this God’s general will.  God’s specific will for us will be consistent with God’s general will. I once talked with a man, a former deacon from another church who told me God led him to leave his wife and take up with his secretary. God was not leading that man. Sadly, many people aren’t willing to listen and it causes a lot of pain.

Find wise and trusted people for advice.

These must be people not afraid to give their opinion, even if they don’t agree with us. I rely on my wife, mother, some friends, and pastor. 

Depending on the nature of the decision and direction, I may expand the circles to get specialized advice such as financial or legal.

Seek God’s timing

The WHEN of God’s will is as important as the WHAT. Sometimes we push too hard and fast for a resolution. It is a hard lesson when we think, “If only I had waited…”

Take One Step at a Time

God has rarely revealed the whole picture to me.  I sense a direction, but don’t always know where it is leading. It is easy to worry about the upcoming steps. We don’t need to understand everything, however.  I compare it to driving on a foggy road. It is only as we keep moving ahead that we see the next section of road.

Misconceptions about God’s Will

I’ve compiled a list of misconceptions and misunderstandings about discerning God’s will. Here they are, with some basic explanations.

“If it is not God’s will, He will stop me… “

I’ve heard this one a bunch of times over the years, often as justification for risky or sinful behavior. The fact is, God allows us to make our own decisions, and if we ignore good advice, our conscience, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, God may allow us to make bad decisions.

“It feels right, so it must be God’s will…”

Put simply, feelings can be wrong, influenced by faulty perceptions and selfish motivations. We can’t make major life decisions based on a feeling. God gave us a brain for a reason, and we need to use it. 

“If everything is going against you, you must be in the wrong lane.”

Difficulties may be signs of going in the wrong direction, but they may also just be signs of the spiritual battle we face.  Do we really expect Satan to sit on his hands while we make spiritual progress? Perseverance is important if we are to seek God’s will.

“But I prayed about it.” OR, “God told me.”

These lines have been used on us a number of times by people trying to manipulate situations to their advantage. Don’t get sucked into this. Prayer is no guarantee against being wrong. 

“If I mess up I’ve blown it forever with God.”

A bad decision is not the beginning of the end.

1 John 1:9 reminds us that if we sin, we can have forgiveness from God.

Romans 8:28 tells us that God is a redeeming God, able to bring good even in the worst of circumstances.

God is a redeeming God. We find this in scripture, and it is the testimony of  countless Christians through the ages.

“There is no safer place than in the center of God’s will.”

People normally mean that being in God’s will protects us from the needless consequences of sinful behavior. True. But, this does not mean we will never face difficulty, hardship, or  danger.

OnFire is a letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published Jan 27, 2014. Troy is the Pastor of Next Generations and Connections at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. *New International Version, 1984. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at  www.onfireletter.com, but I’m a little behind in updating things. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com

OnFire #280 The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

OnFire Encouragement Letter
OnFire #280 The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree

We are well into gardening season and I hope that we’re not so different from others who feel like they’re falling behind on the yard work and weeding. It seems that we get one area done and then it is time to do another, and then  by the time we get that finished the lawn needs to be mowed, and more weeds have sprouted in the first place we worked.

It is interesting to think that we actually reflect the image of God when we garden. Genesis 1:26-27 tells us we were made in God’s image, so it only makes sense. “Like father, like son,” as the saying goes. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” “A chip off the old block.”

So how is it we reflect God’s image when we garden? First, there is the urge to bring order from chaos. This is exactly what God did at the beginning when He created the heavens and the earth. We are reminded that the earth was formless and empty. God set about to bring order from the chaos - scheduling day and night, separating sky and sea, arranging plant and animal life. Gardening is nothing if not bringing order from the chaos.

There is the urge to create and to be creative. Before creation, nothing existed, but God called it all into being from His imagination. He made it new. He is Creator and creative. In the same way, we reflect the image of God in us when we look for new ways to do things. “Wouldn’t it be neat if...?” is the question of creativity. 

(On a side note, I think this issue of creativity is a possible solution to the “worship wars.” Often we turn the issue into one of new music VS old music, when the real issue is not music, but creativity. No one is asking (or allowed to ask?) the question, “Wouldn’t it be neat if ...?” Anyway, back to the main topic.)

No gardener will question that humanity’s first place to commune with God was in the garden. There is something about being in a garden which connects us to God and brings a sense of peace and calm. No wonder Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, a garden outside Jerusalem. I think this is all related to Romans 1:20, where we discover that nature reveals some of God’s character traits – power and divinity, for example. Not much wonder we feel closer to God outdoors.

While we have the image of God in us, Paul tells us that Jesus is the real thing. He is the “image of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1: 15) While activities like gardening show that we have some of God’s traits in us, Jesus fully glows in these things because He himself is God.  

Every time I look out the window, I am reminded of my shortcomings as a gardener. There is always more work to be done, something I could have done differently or better. I guess in this way gardening is a little like life. But I have One to look to, Jesus Christ, who isn’t hindered by imperfection. It gives me hope and direction, that I can look to Him as I face life’s troubles. 

I hope this helps. Be on fire.

Troy

OnFire is a bi-weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. This letter published May 29, 2012.  To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at  www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at www.onfireletter.blogspot.com.

OnFire #263 Stacking Stones

OnFire Encouragement Letter

OnFire #263 Stacking Stones

Summer means that OnFire will not be regular as we have vacation Bible school, a youth mission, vacation, and our annual Baptist assembly. I’ll send out as I’m able, but I know it will not be regular over the next few months.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While on a canoe trip with some friends a few years ago, we came across a rock cairn. We were expecting it because we had read about it in our guidebook, and one of the guys also knew there was a geocache located there. Even still, I was a little surprised to see this pile of stones in the middle of the wilderness. I’ve forgotten the story of why it is there, but a pile of stones like that means something.

Not long ago I was reading in Joshua 4 and came to the passage where the Hebrew people crossed the Jordan. What a great day it was. After wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, they finally went into the Promised Land. And, what a miraculous set of circumstances it was. Just as their fathers and mothers had crossed over the Red Sea on dry land, they crossed the Jordan on dry land when it was at flood stage.

To commemorate the occasion, a man from each tribe picked up a rock from the river bed where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant had stood, and carried it to their camping location that night. The twelve rocks became a lasting marker of what the Lord had done.

As I read this passage, I was struck by the fact that someone had to carry those rocks. 12 men had to lift them from the river bed, hoist them to their shoulders, and carry them to wherever their camp was that night. We’re not talking river pebbles. To make an effective marker out of twelve stones, they would need to be large, as big as the men could carry. 12 marbles would never make someone stop and ask, “What happened here?”

It occurred to me that sometimes God asks us to pick up a big stone and to carry it for a while. Life hands us an additional burden which we must bear for some time.

That thought wasn’t very encouraging when I first had it. I considered that I had enough burden to carry without thinking of more. But thankfully another thought occurred. They only had to carry them from the river to the camp. I’m sure to those men it seemed long enough, perhaps too long depending on the location in the area of at Gilgal. But it was not indefinite or forever.

My problem is that I would like to know “How long?” There are some answers we just don’t have, but these words seemed to suggest that it would not be forever. There would be a time to set the burden down.

It’s not everyday that passages lift off the page, but that was a neat day and I had one more thought. At the end we’d be able to say, “Look what God has done.” In the same way those stones represented God’s power and strength to bring the Hebrews across the Jordan River, there would be something we can point to as a reminder that God was with us.

It’s not enjoyable to pick up a rock, to lift a burden for even a short time. But I drew some comfort that day and I hope it provides some comfort for you.

I hope this helps. Be on fire.

Troy

OnFire is a weekly letter on faith and character written by Troy Dennis. Troy is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Highfield Baptist Church, Moncton NB Canada. This letter published July 5, 2011. To subscribe or reply, email onfireletter@gmail.com. Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com. Blog located at http://www.onfireletter.blogspot.com/.