“we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding”
A good share of my prayers lately have been approaching God, asking for this “knowledge of His will” that Paul speaks of. I long for God’s direction, to hear His voice and promptings about what I should do or where I should go. He has been speaking to me fairly clearly recently, not entirely in giving me specific direction, but simply about the nature of His will and where we fit into it. I see in Paul’s prayer a desire, not just for blatant directional revelation, but a desire for an insight grounded upon the wisdom from God. That God reveals His will through the wisdom He has given, not always through an undeniable glowing street sign but through the enlightened minds that He is renewing within us.
But we have the mind of Christ.”
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
I’ve also lately been reminded of the crucial role of my personal obedience in the midst of any discernment process. This same sentiment was confirmed by Jim Elliot in “Shadow of the Almighty.” During a time in his life approaching significant decisions, “he believed that the way would be obvious when the time came, provided he continued fulfilling the duties which stared him in the face.” (p131)
“Obedience is the opener of eyes” – George Macdonald
I have also been considering the person of Joseph, “a just man…unwilling to put [Mary] to shame” (Matt. 1:19), who walked in the best righteousness and obedience who knew how to, until hearing a more direct prompting from the Lord. His desires came forever second to the Lord’s and his wife’s, as we are called to “love the Lord your God with all your heart” (Matt. 28:30) and “in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3) We are called to take the steps we best know how and walk in the light of holiness, with open ears to God as He reveals the next steps along our way.
“Walk as children of the light…and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.”
