Author: Mike Shaughnessy, from the Servants of the Word, an international, ecumenical brotherhood of men living single for the Lord.
The most important tool God gives
What is the most important tool God gives you for discerning his will? Think for a moment… (That’s a hint, by the way…) You might get this one wrong! The most important tool is your mind! Did Adam have a Bible to consult? Abraham couldn’t go to the leaders of his church to help him know what to do. Those are big advantages for us, but knowing God’s will is something we do fundamentally with our minds. A well-formed mind is critical to knowing God’s will. So, get one!
There is another tool that is nearly as critical as our mind and that is our will. Knowing God’s will isn’t much help if we aren’t ready to obey it. Listen to this passage:
Oh that they had such a mind as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their children forever! (Deuteronomy 5:29)We need a mind that fears the Lord (or as we might say today, pays attention to the Lord). And we need a will to keep, that means to obey, the commandments. A good mind and a good will result in good discernment.
Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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