Trusting God for Guidance

Worried about guidance

I'm reading the last chapters of Packer's Knowing God. It is really hard to just flow through this, for me anyway. There is too much to think about. Sometimes I brood about it, like the last chapter on Romans that speaks of God's adequacy to save us. Something about that is hard for me.

But I am mostly sanguine about guidance, finally, after so many years of getting it wrong.

I believe if you are seeking to be a disciple of God you can mostly trust your skills and desires to guide you.

Some people have their life plan lined out for them. At least it looks that way from the outside. Some people will testify to that too. Great for them. I've never been like that. I was hoping someone would tell me what I was called to do. But it never happened. Silly I know. For one thing I'm such a curmudgeon. If someone really did try to tell me I would likely have not listened anyway. I am pretty hard to tell anything. So the concept that some angelic person was going to guide me is ludicrous. And yet it was a fantasy of mine.

My life is not straightforward. I cannot say there has been a logic to my life. I've never been able to see one. But I trust God has led me, most of the time. I think it has been good in God's eyes. He is subtle enough guide me into the paths of his choosing. I have to believe that.

There is scriptural reason for thinking so. Packer lists some. I will give you some of his.

Isaiah 58:11 assures us that if the people repent and obey, "the LORD will guide you always."

Psalm 25 "Good and upright is the LORD, therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way ... " A sinner I am. Humble I am working on.

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him." (RSV) Notice God says without reproaching. How wonderful a promise that is. There are no stupid questions. And the answer might be right in front of you.

Over time I have learned not to expect direct words from God. Yes I think I have heard direct words. But often I get logical reasons why I should do so-and-so, not so much a Moses like pronouncement. God is wonderful enough to explain it to me, most of the time. I think this is God's guidance as much as any other oracle might be. It might seem to come from my brain.. But I trust that my commitment to God insures God will often work through what seems a natural means.

The loud disclaimer must be made that we have the Bible as a rule for the limits of what God would call us to. God will not ask me to do something against the ten commandments, as much as from time to time I'd like to pretend to myself. No matter how much I might think it good to lie or steal, it is always sin.

God says in Romans 12:1-2 "Let your minds be remade and your whole nature thus transformed." "Then you will be able to discern the will of God and to know what is good and acceptable and perfect."

We can be confident that God can guide us. He works with us individually. We can be confident God will guide us. Each of us has a unique call for our lives. It will not look like anyone else. Most of us are called to be "regular joes". God needs good regular joe servants. People are watching. You never know who. God is using you.

If you desire to obey, God is able to use you. Psalm 119 is all about God's readiness to teach those of us ready to obey. And God takes whatever we give and keeps it.

Psalm 23:3 "he guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Remember God seeks his glory in our lives. He will be glorified in ways that we may never know, at least not before the day of judgment. This passage underscores that God will lead us to act righteously, that is according to the rules of right living the Bible describes. He will never lead us into sinful, hurtful acts.

But people go wrong if they think they must get a direct word from God for everything they do or say. I've tried that too. It will make you neurotic. It will make you much too introspective. Most of the things God calls us to are just prosaic choices we make. They involve inclinations, preferences and such. And yet God is guiding.

Certain jobs would be outside God's will. God tells us to find a believing spouse. Do not be "unequally yoked" means to me to find someone with the same level of commitment to God, not just being a believer. One will save oneself a lot of grief later if you do that, no matter how gorgeous the person you have you eye on. It is not enough if they are simply a Christian. They should be the same level of disciple you are.

Outside of that there is a lot of leeway in choosing a job or a spouse. A lot of that will involve your God given talents and passion and preferences of people of the opposite sex.

You can try demanding that God give you a word about your job or a spouse. If he does great. If he doesn't you can trust your inclinations. If you do get a direct word I think you should get it confirmed by a mature Christian that you trust. If it is a word from God it should line up and others should be able to check you if there is a problem. We should not trust ourselves totally about revelation. We are all so liable to mistakes in hearing God.

All of us should be willing to share these revelations to see if they line up with scripture and with a confirming word by someone who knows us. I may not be altogether too good at this but it makes it no less true.