How do you discern God’s will? YOU… not some hypothetical person… YOU? Is it based on “feelings…” some kind of sign… the potential to make money… what YOU want… or some other method (We all have one)? Many make decisions based on subjective criteria… and call it God’s leading. Others make decisions… call it a faith thing… but it is nothing more than what their emotions and heart tells them (HIGHLY dangerous! CLICK!)
In 2007 I did my NCAA Men’s Basketball Bracket based completely on the flip of a coin (Click here… here… and here). The basis was Proverbs 16:33… “The lot is cast into the lap, but it’s every decision is from The Lord.” The outcome was a interesting. We cannot (As in “are not able to”) make wise and Godly decisions (Godly means “God honoring”) when God’s glory is not #1 in our heart and desire.
God’s glory MUST be #1! It cannot be our comfort… wants… desires… preferences… or anything else. That is what Jesus meant in Luke 9:23, “If any man is willing to come after Me, he must DENY HIMSELF…”
The best way to discern what we should do as a Christian is (I’ve blogged about this before, but it’s been a while):
Step 1: Gather all the available information…
Step 2: Talk to people more wise and godly than yourself about the situation…
Step 3: Seek God through prayer and reading Scripture…
Step 4: MAKE A DECISION…
Step 5: Trust God with the outcome without regret!
I don’t suggest you make decisions based on flipping a coin… your feelings… or licking your finger and putting it in the wind. Instead, be like the Men of Issachar as found in 1 Chronicles 12:232-a… “Men of Issachar, who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…”
These men… in gathering all the available information… looked around them, took notice of the trends, what was happening in their day, and then made their decision based on understanding (Prayer?? Seeking God?? Yes).