I have been in several discussions as of late in which people have been planning for their future. There seems to be confusion in this area as to how exactly a Christian is to approach their future, which is understandable considering that we serve a God who both knows/determines the outcome of the future and a God who cares what we do with/how we live our life.
So some questions for my gentle readers, answer which ever ones you want to or come up with your own. There is no “right” answer that I am looking for; I am just asking for peoples honest experiences in life. I added “answers” just to make it easier, but please do not feel confined by my limited creativity with these.
When you pray to God about your decisions about your future, what do you ask Him for?
a) For some sign or epiphany as to what path to choose.
b) For good judgment with my decision.
c) For a peek into the future so we are confident in the result of our decisions.
d) other
What have you actually received from Him in this area?
a) Silence
b) Peace of mind
c) A voice telling me what decision to make
d) other
Do you see a difference in “a calling” and a regular “putting food on the table” job?
a) A calling is any vocation that carries a specific spiritual measure. A minister or missionary has a calling from God.
b) A calling is any vocation in which you are specifically designed for and you would not be comfortable pursing anything else. A regular job on the other hand is still important but could be traded for any other job with no objection.
c) There is no difference. A man working as a fast food worker is as called to that profession as a pastor or artist is to theirs.
d) other
What exactly do we mean when we say we are seeking God’s Will for our lives?
a) We are seeking the way He would prefer us live our life, because if we don’t choose His Will we will be living by our will which at best will be harder and at worst will result in complete disaster.
b) We are seeking knowledge as to how His Will will shape our life. We know He has our life planned out and would just like insight into how it will happen.
c) We don’t seek God’s Will because He has already told us what He prefers from our lives with Scripture and knowledge of His ultimate Will for the universe (and our life) is inconsequential for us to live in proper submission.
d) other
1. a and d (I also pray that God would lead me to desire His glory and not my own)
ReplyDelete2. a, b, and d (I have also received a strong conviction that did not put my mind at ease, but was pressing me to do the hard thing)
3. d--all are called to make disciples, which includes the vocational sphere. There are specific callings to be leaders in the ministry, which can mean being an elder, deacon, or an elder in a full-time missionary capacity.
4. A combination is possible since God's Will has been defined in different ways. God has revealed all of his will (precepts) in Scripture, so we can organize our decisions on the basis of obedience to these commands. But God's particular will (directing course in our life) when several decisions are obedient choices is something we seek in order to honor Him as best as we are able.
Josh- I agree with you on number 4. I almost put an “all of the above” answer on it. It is why I think the issue is confusing for people.
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