The most important tool for discerning God’s will
What is the most important tool God gives you for discerning his will? Think for a moment… (That’s a hint, by the way…) You might get this one wrong! The most important tool is your mind!
Did Adam have a Bible to consult? Abraham couldn’t go to the leaders of his church to help him know what to do. Those are big advantages for us, but knowing God’s will is something we do fundamentally with our minds. A well-formed mind is critical to knowing God’s will. So, get one!
There is another tool that is nearly as critical as our mind and that is our will. Knowing God’s will isn’t much help if we aren’t ready to obey it. Listen to this passage:
Oh that they had such a mind as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their children forever!
Deuteronomy 5:29
We need a mind that fears the Lord (or as we might say today, pays attention to the Lord). And we need a will to keep, that means to obey, the commandments. A good mind and a good will result in good discernment.
Learning How to Discern God’s Will
You learn things from people who know more than you do.
I didn’t teach myself how to speak but by the time I was two I could say “two and two makes four.” It took a while before I understood the math. Eventually I learned it. Later, I learned the difference between right and wrong from older people who knew right and wrong. I learned chemistry in high school from my chemistry teacher, not my art teacher. You learn things from people who know more than you do.
The same is true for learning how to discern God’s will. You learn how to do it from people who know how to do it. Yes, you can learn a lot today by watching a video or reading a book. But when it comes to discerning God’s will for the most important personal decisions in your life, you are better off finding someone who has learned the skill of discernment. A person who knows you and your circumstances can help you more than Google can. If you want to be a great worship leader, go hang out with a great worship leader. If you know a great mom, ask to live with her. If you know a great dad, ask him to be your mentor.
Find a mentor
Proverbs 4:7 tells us, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.” One of the best ways to get wisdom about discerning God’s will is to get a wise mentor.
This reflection by Mike Shaughnessy is from the Pray by Day column featured in the Sword of the Spirit website.
Top image credit: Illustration of Moses and the tablets of the ten commandments, image created with digital paintbrush AI enhanced artwork from © Artstyles.com. Used with permission.
Mike Shaughnessy is a lifelong member of the Servants of the Word, an international ecumenical brotherhood of men living single for the Lord. He is a prolific writer. He has written extensively about youth work and currently leads Grandly, a ministry helping grandparents pass on their faith to their grandchildren. He lives in Lansing, Michigan USA.