Knowing God's Will?

[ChildofChrist]

Probably a silly question, but when you are impressed to go in a particular direction when are you to hear..."GO"?

You have your marching orders, you've prepared, been equipped and now ...wait! ?

[LifeHiscost]

Probably a silly question, but when you are impressed to go in a particular direction when are you to hear..."GO"?

You have your marching orders, you've prepared, been equipped and now ...wait! ?

I recall an illustrious personage who remarked, "There is no such thing as a stupid (silly) question, only......". And then I can't remember the profound finish.

The only times I ever invested in time, money, or things that turned out rediculously costly of the same was when I failed to heed this advice.

"Behold, the Lord’s eye is upon those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe], who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving-kindness..."Psalm 33:17 AMP

That may not be as much as you want or need in guidance, but even when you make a mistake by leaping before you look, I've heard it is sometimes better to make a wrong decision than to stand still in indecision. It comes with the territory of "free will", and trusting that the Master will catch you if you fall, seems to me to be part of trust.

"Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you."Psalm 37:5 NLT

God cares!

[ChildofChrist]

I thank you. It's just that I thought I've understood His will for me in the past, but then...the bottom fell through and I found myself looking up wondering why I was even further behind. Open doors. Closed doors. Partially open (or closed depending) doors.

Circumstances have changed now and while moving on is available, it is not quite what I imagined. Guess it's just a matter of more prayer and patience.

[Ted Oplinger]

CoC,

I am currently reading a book titled, "Decision making and the Will of God", by Garry Friesen.

It is an in depth look investigating what the will of God means, how it pertains to the common individual believer, and how such a one finds the will of God.

It is a meaty book, so it will not read like a novel.

Hope you find blessings in it should you pick up a copy.

[joeb]

I thank you. It's just that I thought I've understood His will for me in the past, but then...the bottom fell through and I found myself looking up wondering why I was even further behind. Open doors. Closed doors. Partially open (or closed depending) doors.

Circumstances have changed now and while moving on is available, it is not quite what I imagined. Guess it's just a matter of more prayer and patience.

Been there and done that. I've learned that I have often interpreted my own desires as the will of God. I've taken to praying that God will teach me His will, and expose my own biases and desires to me so that I will know the difference. I do this now every time I open my Bible too as it's very easy to study to reinforce what we want to think, rather than what God wants us to know. It's amazing how much more I've been learning since I've been including this in every prayer.

[LifeHiscost]

I thank you. It's just that I thought I've understood His will for me in the past, but then...the bottom fell through and I found myself looking up wondering why I was even further behind. Open doors. Closed doors. Partially open (or closed depending) doors.

Circumstances have changed now and while moving on is available, it is not quite what I imagined. Guess it's just a matter of more prayer and patience.

I am in a position right at this time , that I can highly relate to your circumstances. I'm convinced the circumstances were caused by the prince of darkness, but I also know God stepped aside allowing them to happen.

That which I underlined above is what I've concluded for myself, and His promises are always in my mind.

"For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”"Hebrews 13:5 NKJV

"...for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,... " 1 Tim 1:1,2 NASB

God cares!

[Gail]

Excellent topic! One doesn't hear much anymore about even caring about God's will.

[joeb]

Quote:

Guess it's just a matter of more prayer and patience.

Quote:

I am in a position right at this time , that I can highly relate to your circumstances. I'm convinced the circumstances were caused by the prince of darkness, but I also know God stepped aside allowing them to happen.

That which I underlined above is what I've concluded for myself, and His promises are always in my mind.

"For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”"Hebrews 13:5 NKJV

"...for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,... " 1 Tim 1:1,2 NASB

God cares!

I think what we ask for in prayer is as important as prayer itself.

[pierrepaul]

25 years ago during a semi-rebellious period of my youth I made a major life decision (career choice) without asking for God's guidance through prayer. With the passage of time that decision sent me on an irreversible course as I am too old and too specialized to switch careers without imperiling my family's financial security. What is grating is that I feel I 'know' that I'm not doing what God wanted me to do with my life, but I'm conflicted as to whether God intends to use me in my ill-chosen career or if He wants me to leave my metaphorical fishing nets and boats and follow Him without concern for my family's well being (except that I haven't a clue where He would want me to go should I leave my job).

[Jeannieb43]

25 years ago during a semi-rebellious period of my youth I made a major life decision (career choice) without asking for God's guidance through prayer. With the passage of time that decision sent me on an irreversible course as I am too old and too specialized to switch careers without imperiling my family's financial security. What is grating is that I feel I 'know' that I'm not doing what God wanted me to do with my life, but I'm conflicted as to whether God intends to use me in my ill-chosen career or if He wants me to leave my metaphorical fishing nets and boats and follow Him without concern for my family's well being (except that I haven't a clue where He would want me to go should I leave my job).

That's an interesting conundrum.

IMHO, there are many Adventists who have made successful careers in fields they wouldn't have chosen if they were given a second chance to select. Many successful people labor long and hard in jobs they have come to dislike, but they feel stuck in place because of their pension benefits, their salary scale, their family business commitment, or any number of other reasons. But they faithfully complete their duties every single day, without complaining. I believe the Lord blesses them for their commitment and their perseverance.

One of my favorite preachers used to say "God wants us to use the mentality He has given us. For instance, in choosing a car, He doesn't care whether we drive a Ford or a Chevrolet; He just wants us to make a choice and stick with that choice to the very best of our ability."

There are always opportunities for witnessing, regardless of what our daily occupation consists of. We just need to look for them. They'll show up in the places we least expect them.

[phkrause]

excellent post Jeannieb43

[pierrepaul]

PIERREPAUL

Well I will be praying for you situation

the main thing it not to jump to conclusion

and hurt the family and yourself

[Gail]

[debbym]

Quote:

een there and done that. I've learned that I have often interpreted my own desires as the will of God. I've taken to praying that God will teach me His will, and expose my own biases and desires to me so that I will know the difference. I do this now every time I open my Bible too as it's very easy to study to reinforce what we want to think, rather than what God wants us to know. It's amazing how much more I've been learning since I've been including this in every prayer.

this is a very inspiring thought and prayer to me,

ty for sharing this, i will give this some thought.

i love it when God steers me and i get a glimpse of how far off the mark my thoughts and ways are, and i get instantly closer to the right track.

[joeb]

this is a very inspiring thought and prayer to me,

ty for sharing this, i will give this some thought.

i love it when God steers me and i get a glimpse of how far off the mark my thoughts and ways are, and i get instantly closer to the right track.

You're welcome, debbym.

We're supposed to share what we've found that helps us in our lives. Even something as simple as this was can have a profound impact on our lives as we can confidently know that God is going to answer our prayers when we pray according to His will, not our will. Since self is always so close to the surface, I've found it's always in my best spiritual interest to ask God to always keep it in remission, even in my prayers.

[ClubV12]

I am reminded of the Pharisees asking Jesus where His power came from. He asked them, in turn, what they thought of John the Baptist. They wouldn't say, so He didn't say.

Sister White says the point with all that was, it was already revealed to them and they had rejected the light. If we are in that condition, no amount of fasting, prayer, humbling ourselves, seeking counsel from the word and an endless search for "Gods will", will reveal it to us. Don't be looking for some new "sign" or be expecting some miracle revelation when you are in a condition of having rejected your plain duty, the conviction of the Holy Spirit on some point in your life. One problem with that is each time we put off (reject) that conviction to take that next step, the conviction gets a little dimmer. The mind a little duller to the promptings of the Spirit. At some point, it doesn't really bother you as much, or at all. Confusion sets in...

On the other hand, Ellen White struggled on several occasions to know the will of God when she was doing all in her power to be right with God! Like when she was counseled (ordered would be appropriate) to go to Australia, she had no clear light, tried, but couldn't get any. And again on her return, she thought she should come back to America, but wasn't sure if she should stay, or just visit. Gods will for your life, a tough question, even for a prophet! Eventually, she decided to return to America to stay, by the way...

WHY did Ellen White go to Australia? She followed a principle of God. With no direct light, she obeyed the counsel of the brethren who were over her in rank, the leadership. As erring and mistaken as they were or might have been, there were still Gods appointed leaders. She followed orders.

[debbym]

Quote:

WHY did Ellen White go to Australia? She followed a principle of God. With no direct light, she obeyed the counsel of the brethren who were over her in rank, the leadership. As erring and mistaken as they were or might have been, there were still Gods appointed leaders. She followed orders.

she saw it was God's will and allow the man who asked her to go, who was in error to learn his lesson. she kept silent on the bigger picture she saw. the heart of the reason she left was because the leadership had rejected the message of righteousness by faith.

"I have not, I think, revealed the entire workings that led me here to Australia. Perhaps you may never fully understand the matter. The Lord was not in our leaving America. He did not reveal that it was his will that I should leave Battle Creek. The Lord did not plan this, but he let you all move after your own imaginings. The Lord would have had W. C. White, his mother, and her workers remain in America. We were needed at the heart of the work, and had your spiritual perception discerned the true situation, you would never have consented to the movements made. But the Lord read the hearts of all. There was so great a willingness to have us leave, that the Lord permitted this thing to take place. Those who were weary of the testimonies borne were left without the persons who bore them. Our separation from Battle Creek was to let men have their own will and way, which they thought superior to the way of the Lord.

The result is before you. Had you stood in the right position the move would not have been made at that time. The Lord would have worked for Australia by other means and a strong influence would have been held at Battle Creek, the great heart of the work. There we should have stood shoulder to shoulder, creating a healthful atmosphere to be felt in all our conferences. It was not the Lord who devised this matter. I could not get one ray of light to leave America. But when the Lord presented this matter to me as it really was, I opened my lips to no one, because I knew that no one would discern the matter in all its bearings. When we left, relief was felt by many, but not so much by yourself, and the Lord was displeased; for he had set us to stand at the wheels of the moving machinery at Battle Creek."

[ClubV12]

It took her five years to write that letter and lay out the circumstances behind the move. When she first got to Australia, she cried herself to sleep. But soon enough, she stopped all that self pity and went to work.

Of course there are many aspects to these events, but one I see is the test, personally, for Ellen White. She really, really, did NOT want to go for many personal reasons. Some being her age, the difficult journey, the hard work that would lay ahead, being removed from family and friends.

She didn't see that "bigger picture" until she put her foot in the water. The principle she applied was this, "The voice of duty is the voice of God". What was her duty, without a clear and positive sign from the Lord? To submit to those in authority over her. How difficult that is for us to do, especially when you either KNOW they are wrong or strongly suspect they are wrong! To set your ideas and conclusions aside and submit? How difficult is that!

She did not always submit to the authority of those over her. There are instances where she DID have clear light and provided a plain and cutting testimony to those in error. As she provided in this case, some five years later. Leadership at the highest levels are not immune to the sharp testimony of a prophet when directed by our Lord. She's in good company, not the first prophet to be "banished" for their work!

[ClubV12]

The big lesson for ME in all this is what Sister DIDN'T do. She went, quietly, no back talking anyone, not gossiping, not making sly comments about how wrong leadership was, not fostering division within the Church. How many times have you heard the comments about the Church board this or that, or the Pastor this and that, or some member this or that.

There is a time and place to "meet" wrongful leadership decisions. There is a time and place to be quiet. I personally have dealt with this. I had a VERY strong disagreement with the Conference, they demanded me to do something I could not in good conscience carry out. It was a very serious matter that could lead to my membership being removed. I simply could not do as they asked. And then, I began to see the fruit of my own works. Others, knowing the circumstances piled on. The Conference is WRONG, said the Pastor, the Head Elder. The discontent spread. I should file a case with the Conference, take this to the highest levels, I should "meet" this crisis.

I had become a stumbling block to so many others, I was fostering a massive rebellion. The Pastor was willing to risk his JOB over this! I submitted to authority, asked those who were "gossiping" to stop. I was horrified that I could have put the Pastors job at risk over my rebellion. It was a huge personal test.

I love this Church, I love the Conference and the General Conference. I believe God IS in control, no matter how it may appear, He will handle it, I need to trust Him more.

Maybe, in five years or so, I will write a letter...