The following post is from a friend who has been forced to make a major life-decision. She wanted to share her experience, in hopes that her struggles may provide some clarity for all of us dealing with life transitions. Please let me know if you have a story to share...
The most recent “decision” that
sticks out for me was the decision of where to attend school next year. Throughout the application process, a
university in Boston stuck out to me. I
loved Boston, the program sounded great, I have friends in the area – I knew I
wanted to go there. When I got in, it
felt like a done deal. Then, I was
offered a seat at a program in Virginia - they gave me 10 days to decide. About 4 days before I had to tell them yes or
no (and mentally I had already said “no”) my dad recommended that I at least
look into the school. So I did.
The more research I did, the more of
a fit Virginia seemed. But I really didn’t want to go. It’s far away, I know nobody in the area, the
program is small and, most importantly, it wasn’t Boston.
Regardless of my desire to say no,
something inside of me was urging me to say yes. In prayer with God, I thought I felt Him
pulling me there. In a moment of prayer,
I heard “Trust Me.” So I did, and I said
yes.
It’s funny, because I’m still not
sure I made the right decision. I’m not
100% convinced that I’m headed where God wants me, but I had to select one or
the other.
Fast-forward a couple weeks, and
Josh hands me a book called Decision
Making and the Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View
by Garry Friesen and J. Robin Maxson, which puts forth two views on decision
making and God’s Will. A brief summary
of the book’s discussion of these two views follows:
Traditional View
God has three Wills: Sovereign, Moral, and Individual.
- “Sovereign” – “God’s secret plan that
determines everything that happens in the universe.” (Friesen and Maxson,
35)
- “Moral”
– Right vs Wrong: Through His Word,
the Bible, God gives humanity instructions as to how we should conduct
ourselves, that is to say, He reveals what is considered good behavior and
what is evil. The Bible also
instructs us as to what we should believe.
“God’s revealed commands in the Bible that teach how men ought to
believe and live.”
- “Individual”
– Personalized specifics: God’s individual plan for my life.
Frieson and Maxson list seven means
by which we interpret God’s Wills. They
collectively name these seven “Road Signs.”
- Bible
- Circumstances
– Often referred to as “Open Doors” or “Closed Doors.”
- Inner
Witness – The work of the Holy Spirit within you. You may feel pulled toward a certain
decision.
- Mature
Counsel – Seeking advice from a more mature/experienced Christian.
- Personal
Desires
- Common
Sense
- Special
Guidance – Refers to divine intervention in your life such as the visit of
an angel. The traditional view
notes that this is a rare occurrence and should not be expected.
Wisdom
View (according to Friesen and Maxson)
God has 2 Wills:
1.
“Sovereign”
– same as Traditional
2.
“Moral”
– same as Traditional
Frieson and Maxson contend that the
“Individual Will” is not scripturally based.
This does not mean that God does not care about us, but rather He has
granted us an “Area of Freedom” which lies within His “Moral” and “Sovereign”
Wills.
The driving force behind the
question of which view is accurate is “Am I being obedient to God?”
So I ask myself – was I being obedient to God?
Was choosing Virginia an act of obedience?
In a way, yes, but not necessarily in that I know choosing VA was what
God wanted me to do. I don’t know for
sure that God wants me there – perhaps He really didn’t mind where I ended
up. I do believe, however, that trusting
Him in the decision was an act of obedience.
I’m comforted because I know that during my time there, I will have the
opportunity to live as an obedient daughter, living as a light for Him.
This leads into what I think is a
critical element in decision-making: The approach that I use when I have to
make decisions should be Christ-centered.
All earthly things, relationships,
positions are temporary. When I cease to
exist, so will they. God’s Kingdom,
however, will prevail into eternity, regardless of the decisions I make. In the end, whether I go to VA or MA, God’s
Will will prevail. He, in His
sovereignty, can use me for His Kingdom as He sees fit, in VA or MA.
Paul’s words: “Indeed, I count
everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my
Lord” can help maintain that perspective.
If all that I am, all my accomplishments, are a loss in light of Christ,
why worry so much about them? We are
assured that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for
those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28) My confidence need not lie in what I do, but
rather it rests in Him.
Friesen, Gary, and J. Robin Maxson. Decision Making and the Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the
Traditional View. Print.
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