“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth…” (Jn 16:13a)

A significant part of devotional discipline is seeking the Lord and His will in a matter. Guidance and decision making are difficult areas for many believers. We are faced with large decisions in our walk with the Lord, and we are faced with seemingly small decisions every day that may actually be just as important to our spiritual journey as the “large decisions.”

Since every person and every circumstance is different, there is not one correct way to discern a matter and to make a decision. But there are principles and practices that can be helpful. The following summary (Preparation, Principles, and Process) is not exhaustive, but it may contain steps, guidelines, or practices that prove useful.

A. PREPARATION.

(Preparation is a time to discern your heart and to gather information. Effective discernment rarely occurs in a vacuum but in a place of prayer, stillness, and silence and in communion with other trusted persons, so that your voice and thoughts are not the only things you hear. It is helpful to write down answers to the questions and then to refine the answers as more clarity comes.)

1. To the extent you are able, clarify the core issue for which you seek guidance.

2. Discern the attitude of your heart. Empty yourself of fleshly desires, pride, and worldly attachments. Seek the freedom only to desire God’s will in the matter and not your own.

-Commit your life to God and give Him control of it.

3. What are the options available? (Note: Many times another trusted person such as a mentor or spiritual director may see options that you do not see).

-Marshal information about the circumstances under which the decision is being made.

4. What will be the impact of each option (on you and on other people)?

-What responsibilities has God entrusted to you (such as family, church, community, workplace)?

5. As you explored the options and their impact, did you have an instinctive reaction regarding the decision (such as an intuition or a “gut feeling”)?

6. Which option will increase your hunger for God?

-For each option that you identify, where and how do you see God working in each option?

7. How do you feel about each option based on your desires (personal or spiritual)?

-How will each option affect your identity in God and His call upon your life?

8. What are historical patterns in your life or personal tendencies that may influence your decision?

–Have you experienced deception previously in your life that might be relevant to this decision?

B. PRINCIPLES OF DISCERNMENT.

(Note: These principles should be applied in conjunction with each other and used in balance. Undue focus on one principle to the exclusion of the other principles can be unbalanced and thus dangerous.)

1. Whatever pleases God is the best decision for you.

–A good decision invites the Presence of God.

-A good decision is motivated by love for God.

2. A good decision is consistent with obedience to God.

-A decision should always be in accordance with the commands of Scripture, and not contrary to Scripture.

-A decision should be made with an attitude that desires to submit to every authority as established by God.

3. Be true to yourself and to your identity in God.

-You should desire to fulfill God’s call on your life, including the hopes and dreams that He has placed within you.

4. God has placed creativity in us and often desires to unlock and to free our creative spirit.

-God wishes for us to experience joy in Him.

5. Your eternal soul is more important than this earthly life.

-Eternal consequences are more important than the temporal consequences.

6. A good decision will draw you closer to God and will increase your faith, hope, and love.

-A bad decision will lead you further away from God and will decrease your faith, hope, and love.

7. God often gives us past experiences that direct our present path.

-Our hearts and minds are often deceived.

8. Positive feelings that do not have an external cause (such as worldly blessing, honor, or personal affirmation) probably come from God.

-Positive feelings that have an external cause can come from God or from the enemy.

9. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (James 3:17).

-Feelings that are very strong or that vacillate may not come from God.

-The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of God’s work in your life.

10. Sometimes God calls you to be still and to allow Him to act in your situation on your behalf.

-Don’t make an important, life changing decision while you are adrift spiritually or feel separated from God by worldly desires.[1]

C. PROCESS.

(The Preparation and Principles above may have already led you to a clear decision. If you engage in the process below, record your impressions and keep notes.)

1. Dedicate time to seek God about your decision and to seek His will in the matter.

-Seek God using spiritual disciplines (such as prayer, worship, fasting, meditation, and contemplation).

2. Spend time listening to God and sensing nudges, promptings, or words.

-Seek and listen to the wisdom and advice of other persons you trust (including church leaders, spiritual directors, and accountability partners).

3. Seek God’s perspective on your situation.

–Desire to know the heart of God in the matter. It is critical that you do so without attachment to an outcome or without specific expectations, and in a spirit of freedom to allow the Holy Spirit to direct you.

4. For each option that you identified, write down (a) the factors that support the option; (b) the factors against the option; (c) possible benefits from the option; and (d) possible detriments from the option.

-Employ the means of discernment through the Holy Spirit that are beneficial (such as intuition (A.5), imagination (A.6), feelings (A.7), memory (A.8), reason (C.4 above), your body, or nature).[2]

5. To the extent that you are able, wait on God in the matter. Seek Him and His timing.

-Is God calling you to do something now or should you wait and do nothing?

6. As you begin to reach a decision, discern if that decision is consistent with a love of God and will increase your faith, hope, and love in its fulfillment.

7. When you reach a decision, seek confirmation by God.

–Are you at peace in the decision and at rest in God as a result of the decision?

8. As you walk out your decision, does the peace of God remain?

-If you realize the decision does not increase your faith, hope, and love, should you change course and try another option?

[1] Source Material for some Principles: The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.

[2] See Elizabeth Liebert, The Ways of Discernment (WJK 2008) for exercises for discernment in each of these areas.

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