{"id":6301,"date":"2012-04-04T10:00:41","date_gmt":"2012-04-04T17:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iamsignificant.ca\/andre\/?p=6301"},"modified":"2018-11-19T17:21:42","modified_gmt":"2018-11-19T17:21:42","slug":"discernment-between-the-ditches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iamsignificant.ca\/andre\/soul-significance\/discernment-between-the-ditches\/","title":{"rendered":"Discernment Between the Ditches"},"content":{"rendered":"

Discernment is a significant challenge for many folks and this is an important part of learning to walk in the Spirit and to walk by faith.\u00a0 Discernment is the process of determining an action to be taken or not taken, a choice to be made or a direction to head when the way is not necessarily clear. \u00a0 For our general purpose, we have two fairly common strategies.\u00a0 While the goal of discernment is the same in each strategy, they take to polar opposite approaches.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first is the idea that we don\u2019t do anything until God expressly tells us to<\/strong>,\u00a0and the second is to barge ahead with what we think we want to do and hope it is the will of God<\/strong>.\u00a0 Both positions have aspects of health and truth, but like most things in life, it\u2019s not so black and white.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doing nothing until God says so<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Many people are convinced that we are not to do a thing unless specifically led to do so by God.\u00a0 I know people who grocery shop, decide what to wear and what they are going to do that day only if they feel God expressly tells them to.\u00a0 If Jesus doesn\u2019t expressly tell them so... they simply don\u2019t do anything.\u00a0 I appreciate the heart of this because it is really a desire for intimacy with God.\u00a0 The desire to be so surrendered that they do nothing unless the Father expressly tells them to do so.\u00a0 After all, isn\u2019t that what Jesus did?\u00a0<\/strong> Well, perhaps not exactly.<\/strong>\u00a0 Sometimes this bit of scripture can be taken in a way it was not intended.\u00a0 While it is absolutely true that Jesus did only what He saw the Father saying and doing, it wasn\u2019t as if Jesus had to be told specifically everything He was to do.\u00a0 As we grow and mature in our relationship with God we learn what God likes and doesn\u2019t like.<\/strong>\u00a0 We know He doesn\u2019t like it when we steal but we do not need to be told not to steal over and over.\u00a0 In the Kingdom, we are called to be people of love and therefore we walk in such a way that is loving - so don\u2019t steal, don\u2019t lie, cheat, covet, etc.\u00a0 So we are free to walk in the freedom of love and allow love to direct our coming and going.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the major downfalls of this position is the tendency to paralysis.\u00a0 We find ourselves in a paradigm where we are so afraid to do anything for fear of dishonoring God, not being spiritually fruitful, failing or just plain old fear of stepping out and taking responsibility for our choices that we can literally get locked up!\u00a0 This is not freedom in Christ.\u00a0 The challenge is through these super-spiritual eyes we often miss the small, unseemingly spiritual things which are immediately in front of us to do because we can only see what to do in very narrow, hyper-spiritual way we think God communicates with us.<\/span><\/p>\n

The reality is, in a healthy relationship we need to be growing and maturing.\u00a0 When my son was one year old, I had to get his clothes out for him and help him get dressed.\u00a0 Now that he is six, he doesn\u2019t need that kind of input from me.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because he has matured, learned what getting dressed is and how to dress.\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t sit around waiting for Dad to come to dress him anymore!\u00a0 So it is with the Father, in relationship He teaches us what He likes, what Kingdom life is like.\u00a0 To this end, we no longer have to be told to do certain things because we have learned certain values and actions which are consistent with Kingdom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0We ought at all times to wait for the enlightenment that comes from above before we speak; for there is nothing so destitute as a soul philosophizing about God when it is without Him<\/span><\/strong>. - Hesychios, the Priest<\/span><\/p>\n

Full Steam Ahead<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

There are those who firmly believe that God can\u2019t steer a docked ship, so they put their sails up and head off into the wind hoping that God is at the helm but never entirely sure, or even worse, naively believing there is no doubt at all! \u00a0 In this vein, we hang tight to the idea that \u2018God orders the steps of the righteous\u2019 and we plow ahead with our plans and hope the Lord blesses them.\u00a0 This position can be equally as hazardous as we can find ourselves being blown about by the waves of whatever takes our fancy and feel pious about it with our Jesus veneer. \u00a0 People have used such wisdom to make important decisions hoping that God will simply rubber stamp their choice - with buying decisions, employment, spouses and so forth.<\/span><\/p>\n

The challenge here is pretty obvious and can be spiritualized as well. \u00a0 While there are some situations where this may be the best course of action, this too may a reaction to fear. \u00a0 A subtle but driving fear that God can\u2019t be trusted in a situation or is not acting in a way that we recognize or approve of.\u00a0 This leads us to take the reigns and drive on in our own strength and understanding. \u00a0 It may also be an indication that we are uncomfortable with silence, waiting and may be out of balance in rhythm with timing.\u00a0 Sometimes the most faithful inspired action is no action at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

Faith is the divine evidence whereby the spiritual man discerneth God, and the things of God. -<\/strong><\/span> John Wesley<\/span><\/p>\n

___________________________<\/span><\/p>\n

Living in either of these two ditches exclusively can be very treacherous and very shallow. More to the point, discernment is often living creatively between these two ditches, understanding that some situations may require a stance influenced a little more by one pole than the other. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some situations are no-brainers.\u00a0 If a friend of ours (who we are in community with) has a need and we have the means in which to meet that need,\u00a0 the decision is obvious - you meet the need for your friend.\u00a0 But what if this is the 7th time you have had to meet this need for your friend and your friend seems unwilling to address this need in their own life?\u00a0 Then what?\u00a0 In relationship, it may become apparent that the loving thing may be not to meet the need. \u00a0 It may be that God is asking you and a few other friends to have a discussion with them about the need and ways to help them address that need in a healthy sustainable way.\u00a0 This requires more of a specific leading.<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider Mary and Martha<\/strong> in Luke 10:38-42<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>. \u00a0This is the story about Jesus visiting two sisters. \u00a0While He was there a conflict arose between the two sisters. \u00a0Martha was annoyed that she was busy preparing the meal and doing the work of hospitality and her sister, Mary, \u00a0just sat at Jesus' feet and didn't help. \u00a0I think the tendency isolate this piece of scripture and say we all need to be like Mary - period. \u00a0While Jesus commended Mary for sitting at His feet, he did not condemn Martha for her activity. \u00a0For Mary, in that situation, it was the best thing. \u00a0It is an unhealthy dualism to suggest that being and doing are opposed to one another. There are many instances throughout scripture where deliberate action is encouraged - consider Matthew 25:31-45<\/a>\u00a0-<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0it is full of the call to action, as just one example. \u00a0The reality is both are healthy and acceptable as a part of being a whole person living out healthy faith and we need to learn to live creatively between them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding that there are times in life where we keep on walking, knowing that certain things are healthy and loving to do and at the same time understanding that other things require that we ask questions of the Lord and wait on Him for an answer. \u00a0Doing life in a healthy way will see us living creatively in the tension between the two ditches without being mystically paralyzed or blindly brash. This is learning to walk in the Spirit and by faith.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take away<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Realize life is life.\u00a0 That life is lived and not simply paused put on auto-pilot or processed for one-size fits all.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Evaluate the situation - is it a no-brainer? Then act. \u00a0Mature followers of Jesus understand\u00a0the values of the Kingdom of God and don't need to be micromanaged.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Not so obvious?\u00a0 Take it to the Lord prayerfully using divine love as the plumb-line for discerning.\u00a0 Wait on God and be comfortable that in the end, it is really faith that we step out in.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Remember child-like faith is what is required. Not to be confused with childishness.<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Be careful not to hide from real life and responsibility behind false piety.<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Ensure you are not barging through life with your own agenda simply asking God to bless your plans. Or as a result of not trusting God to lead you, even when that may seem like being still.<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. No matter how you slice it, faith is spelled R-I-S-K.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Discernment is a significant challenge for many folks and this is an important part of learning to walk in the Spirit and to walk by faith.\u00a0 Discernment is the process of determining an action to be taken or not taken, a choice to be made or a direction to head when the way is not necessarily clear. \u00a0 For our Continue Reading<\/a>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[34],"tags":[71,129,167,175,300,363,482,540],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n