Life is full of decisions, and we want to make good ones that honor the Lord. So, how do we do that?
1. Pray.
The first, middle, and last thing to do is pray. We don’t always need to understand God’s mechanisms for giving us guidance. We just need him to do it. Pray that God would guide you into the best choice for the decision you face. Pray that you would honor him both in the decision-making process and in the decision itself. Pray that you would humbly listen to wise people around you. Pray for understanding of God’s law in Scripture. Pray that you would handle the Bible well.
2. Study the Bible.
Having prayed, turn to Scripture. When we’re considering the right course of action, the first question we must ask is whether it’s allowed by God’s law as revealed in Scripture. Start with the ten commandments and a catechism or trusted commentary that helps explain them.
3. Search your conscience.
In your search for the right decision, you should heed your own conscience. Whether or not you’ve figured out what the Bible says regarding your decision, if it violates your conscience, then it’s sin. The apostle Paul taught, “[W]hatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). Paul is talking in this passage about clean and unclean foods. In the new covenant, things like food regulations from the law of Moses are no longer binding on God’s people. We have freedom in Christ. Paul was convinced that no foods are now unclean before God: “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean” (Rom 14:14). But, he warned, if you lack that knowledge of freedom in Christ and you go ahead and eat something you think is unclean before God, then it’s sin.
4. Evaluate your motives.
The tenth commandment—“You shall not covet”—teaches us that sin against God’s law might happen in the heart, even if we don’t act on it. This is also the sort of thing Jesus talked about in the Sermon on the Mount when he said lustful intent in the heart incurs the guilt of adultery, even if you haven’t committed that sin externally (Matt. 5:28). This applies not just to lust but to all sorts of things. So, even if you obey on the outside, it’s possible to break God’s law in your heart. It follows, then, that we need to examine our motives when considering a decision.
5. Assess your existing responsibilities.
The next thing to consider when facing a decision is how it affects your various responsibilities in life. You’re embedded in a community of people who mutually support one another. How might your decision affect them? There’s a sense in which the place you already find yourself is a calling from God. You don’t need to go looking for a neighbor to serve when God has already placed them around you. It’s God’s will for you to serve where you already are.
6. Consider your calling.
Too often, Christians can use “calling” as a trump card against wisdom and insight from others. Though no one says it outright, the implication is often, “God has called me to this, so you can’t stop me.” We sometimes convince ourselves of a sense of calling out of a genuine desire for clarity and certainty in our choices. But it could just be adrenaline. A better approach to discerning calling involves four aspects: desire, ability, opportunity, and community confirmation.
7. Exercise your freedom.
Finally, after you’ve considered all these things and prayed for God to make your efforts fruitful, you have freedom. You don’t need to fret about finding the perfect will of God for your life. Life is an opportunity for a smorgasbord of sensations and emotions. As long as we’re within the bounds of God’s revealed moral will, enjoy it.
To read more about each of these, request the new free Core booklet, What Is God’s Will For Me?
