I can look back at certain areas of my life where I was trying to discern God's will. Often these were times of great stress and anxiety. What if I got it wrong? What if I go the wrong way? What could this cost me? I'm willing to step out, but I need to see a net to catch me. There seems to be a wrestling match between excitement and fear and doubt. Sometimes I think it would be so much easier if God just gave me a light show or a letter in the mail (okay an email. Nope still too dated... a tweet or shapchat). You know something along the lines of...
Dear Josh,
Here is the My plan for your life complete with all the step-by-step instructions. And here are all the safety features and securities blankets. So there is really no need for faith.
Sincerely,
God
Now there is a historical precedence for God doing miraculous revelations, but they are not the norm for most of us. Maybe our understanding of discernment and obedience to God is off. Perhaps it works something more like this...
On his way home from work a dad stops by the store and picks up a package of crayons and construction paper for his son. When he arrives home, his son runs and greets him at the door with a warm hug. The dad then leans over and says, "Here you son. I got these for you."
After giving a very enthusiastic "Thank you Daddy!" the son runs to his room and jumps on his bed. He draws two awkward looking stick figures and scribbles the words "I love you Daddy" across the page with half the letters written backwards.
The son then darts out into into the living room, jumps onto his father's lap and says, "Here Daddy, I made this for you."
When the dad gave his son the gift, he did not tell him what to make or how to make it. The son was free to do what he wanted and he let his love for his father inspire his creativity.
Discerning God's will is not passively waiting for a light show or a note from God. It is proactive and creative. It is eager and longs to be expressed. Maybe discernment works more like this...
Lord, what gifts and talents have You given me? What can I do with them? What can I make? The son could have folded the paper in half and made a card. He could have made a paper-airplane. He didn't have string so he couldn't have made a hanging mobile. However, God does not choose the qualified, but He qualifies the chosen.
Lord, help me to know and receive Your love. Let Your love and Holy Spirit lead me and inspire me. God does not desire passive robots that blindly follows a program or instructions. He doesn't want servants or slaves with blind obedience. He desires co-creators and companions to work with Him. "I no longer call you slaves or servants but friends." (John 15:15). He wants us to be partners.
Mary's yes was not something passive. It was proactive, coming from a longing to say yes to a God whom she loved. She was actively making herself available to be open to whatever opportunity God brought before her. Her response, "How can these be?" was not a moment of doubt but excitement.
Without sounding too cliche, the most important part of discerning is not the decision but the deepening our relationship with Christ, coming to know anew His love, and trusting in His divine friendship. Christ desires to conquer our fears, doubts, and anxieties so that we can come to know His love and grace. Jesus I trust in You.
Why do we worship? We worship a loving God with our lives, as a creative offering to a Father whom has given us everything that we have and all that we are. He is a loving Father that delights in the gifts that we create and jump onto His lap to give back to Him, a loving Father that wants us to know the warmth and security of His embrace.
My challenge for me... Do I dare to love God? How would I respond if Jesus asked me, "Do you love me more than these?" I am willing to give up security and my comfort zone to follow Him?
Lord, what gifts and talents have You given me? What can I do with them? What can I make? The son could have folded the paper in half and made a card. He could have made a paper-airplane. He didn't have string so he couldn't have made a hanging mobile. However, God does not choose the qualified, but He qualifies the chosen.
Lord, help me to know and receive Your love. Let Your love and Holy Spirit lead me and inspire me. God does not desire passive robots that blindly follows a program or instructions. He doesn't want servants or slaves with blind obedience. He desires co-creators and companions to work with Him. "I no longer call you slaves or servants but friends." (John 15:15). He wants us to be partners.
Mary's yes was not something passive. It was proactive, coming from a longing to say yes to a God whom she loved. She was actively making herself available to be open to whatever opportunity God brought before her. Her response, "How can these be?" was not a moment of doubt but excitement.
Without sounding too cliche, the most important part of discerning is not the decision but the deepening our relationship with Christ, coming to know anew His love, and trusting in His divine friendship. Christ desires to conquer our fears, doubts, and anxieties so that we can come to know His love and grace. Jesus I trust in You.
Why do we worship? We worship a loving God with our lives, as a creative offering to a Father whom has given us everything that we have and all that we are. He is a loving Father that delights in the gifts that we create and jump onto His lap to give back to Him, a loving Father that wants us to know the warmth and security of His embrace.
My challenge for me... Do I dare to love God? How would I respond if Jesus asked me, "Do you love me more than these?" I am willing to give up security and my comfort zone to follow Him?
P.S. Sorry that you probably have to watch an ad at the beginning of the video.
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