Do You Agree?

[SirTJ]

I've been meditating again. 

I was meditating on a big decision I have to make. As I was questioning whether or not I was making the right decision, this is what kind of began to resonate in my mind.

I think the Bible is clear that God doesn't operate by giving us 'yes' or 'no' answers to our questions (at least, not always). Many of our decisions are supposed to be faith decisions, meaning that, initially, you won't always be exactly sure that you're making the right decision. To quote Steve Jobs, you can never trace the path going forward -- you can only trace it looking backward. But YOU have to make the decision. I heard Tim Keller explain it this way: when I was a child, I had to ask my parents whether or not I could go outside and play. But I'm 21 now, and I'm away at college. How silly would it look for me to call my parents, asking if I could go outside? I'm old enough now to make my own decisions.

And I'm free to make those decisions because God's guidance is progressive -- in other words, he guides us in spite of our decisions, not based on our decisions. He doesn't say, "If you choose door A, I'll be there to guide you, but if you choose door B, I'm out." It's more like "Whichever door you choose, I'll still be there working it all together for good." As long as you honestly believe in your heart that the decision you've made is right, then God is for you. 

Agree?

Goodnight, fam.

[Fenix]

This is such an interesting thought. I was having this discussion with my sister and she was asking me why a certain family friend of ours, who is not a believer, is getting ahead in life and seems to be successful. I told her that i felt it was because she had committed to a path and would do all that she could to achieve her goals.

Then i started thinking about whether or not we Christians waste too much time "waiting on God" to tell us what to do when we already have an inkling. 

However, i believe Prov 3: 5-6 is quite clear on this. If we acknowledge to God all the possible ways we want to take, i believe He will direct us. I believe His guidance is indeed progressive, however it is progressive in the sense that He will orchestrate situations in the life of a believer that will ultimately lead to His will being done.

When we make mistakes, He works with that. He will not deny the reality of the mistake, but will still use it for His glory, IF the believer acknowledges the mistake and asks forgiveness.

[SavnBass]

I agree.. However I do think that there are always bad choces, good choices and better choices...  and sometimes we just have no way of knowing which is which until after we make them. I also think that GOD gives us indications of which answer is correct in the multiple choice questions in life.. we just have to make sure we are reading the questions correctly before we make a choice.

[Docdb04]

Very Interesting....

I've thought on this subject a little here and there.  I too have wondered am I just sitting around waiting for God to clearly say, "Yes" or "No" not realizing that I already have the answer.  In addition, whatever choice I make, as long as it doesn't compromise biblical principles, God will not be displeased.

The thing is, we've been taught to pray and wait.  The "Don't move until He says so" concept.  While I do not debate the principle, I often wondered if I've been closed mind during the waiting period.   While I am waiting for God to open the door, I've missed the concept of realizing when the door was opening.  So in the end, I'm saying, "I'm waiting on God" not realizing that he opened the door long time ago and was waiting for me to walk through it.

 

 

[nessalynn77]

I partially agree.  I think don't think God has no vested interest in our decisions... in other words, in many cases there is definitely a right and a wrong decision, or definitely something he specifically wants us to do.  I think when we don't do it, or choose the other option, we suffer consequences in the form of setbacks or obstacles that we wouldn't encounter had we made the other choice.  However, I agree that God looks on the heart and no setback will stop him from doing what he always intended to do, in fact, he knew the choice we would make before we made it. 

I think Steve Jobs was right in a lot of ways.  When I moved to Reno, I was a young christian who just received the baptism of the Holy Ghost earlier that year.  I didn't hear God say this was the right choice, but I feared my parents being vehemently opposed.  When they accepted the idea of it as though the decision was already made, and were supportive and encouraging, everything after that just fell into place.  Looking back, I know that it was God's plan all along for me to go, but I wasn't very sure how to be sure of it at the time. 

I believe if we acknowledge him, and in our heart honestly seek to please him and not our own desires, in some way he will lead us, and like you said, when we step out on faith, the assurance will come.