Discerning the Will of God

I am a convert to the Orthodox Church.  My faith in Christ began in an evangelical context while a pharmacy student at Washington State University.  I am thankful for this.  Their particular evangelical flavor was not a shallow, fluffy variety, but one which took the Christian faith seriously and practiced it with a joyful fervor.  My companions were all college age like me at the time, and like me faced many life decisions — many of minor importance, but some of great significance.  This all involved for us discerning the will of God for our young lives.  This discernment of the will of God was often perplexing for many.  The desire to follow Christ faithfully and to be in God’s will — perfectly — was drawn from the Scriptures.  Two passages came into play:

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29: 11 – 13).

Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your (humon) mind, that you (humas) may discern (dokimazein) what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12: 2).

Concerning these two passages from Scripture it is important to note a few things.  Regarding the verses from Jeremiah, the context was the return of Jews to Jerusalem and Judaea from the Babylonian captivity:  this was for the entire Jewish people, not for one person.  Then, regarding St Paul’s words from Romans, the “your” and “you” is not singular, but in the second person plural (humon, humas).  In other words, these words are directed to the entire church in Rome as one united body of faith.  And the word dokimazein can be translated not only as “discern,” but also “test,” “prove,” or “demonstrate.”

With the focus on discernment, discovering the will of God was, then, perplexing when misunderstood in the singular, or in the personal.  I recall many conversations that included the complaint:  “I’ve been praying, but I still don’t know what God wants me to do.”  Looking back, such a process of discernment now seems like figuring out a puzzle, or guessing under which shell the nut is hid.  That such a specific will in all matters of one’s personal life is unlikely.  Adhering to this approach to discover God’s will in everything now seems delusional, and could lead to confounding indecision.  (Furthermore, continued indecision can lead to anxiety and depression.)

Now I move forward in time 40 years.  My youngest son, a devout Orthodox Christian, recently had a conversation with me about figuring out his future.  He is a journeyman residential electrician, but wants to better his income and have a more satisfying career.  Regarding his career, he is uncertain whether he should pursue commercial work, go to lineman’s school, or seek a a college degree in project management.  He also wants desires marriage and family, and wants to find a faithful wife. (Does anyone know a faithful young woman in her twenties?)  Thus, he could fall into the same dilemma as did my peers when I was young.  Well, he didn’t ask for specific advice, but as any good father would do, I offered advice.  My advice came from the words of St Paul found in 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 – 18:

Rejoice always.  Pray constantly.  Give thanks for all things:  for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Quite general or generic, yet his words are profound and offer the greatest guidance that can be given.  In all situations and in all circumstances — good, bad, or indifferent — these words apply, and when practiced, will put one in God’s will.  Anyone can rejoice, pray, and give thanks when things are going well.  But, things don’t always go our way.  When faced with challenging, distressing, and upsetting circumstances, or people, one can still rejoice, pray, and give thanks for them.  This is the way of holiness and growth in Christ, and it is the way of the Saints.  With these determined decisions and actions the Holy Spirit is free to work in our lives and transform us and better form the image of God within us.  More importantly, with these three faithful attitudes and actions we begin to form our future and cooperate with God’s will. 

Our present, in part, forms our future.  Let me give an example from grapevines.  I have several vines on my property.  Grapevines are aggressive growers.  They send out tendrils to attach to fixed structures.  This is done for their growth.  With joy, prayer, and thankfulness in all situations the consequent actions serve as our own tendrils reaching out to the presently unknown future.  Tendrils sent out with such intent will entwine, likely, with correspondent consequences established to achieve God’s intended outcomes our personal lives — always being our salvation.  Allow me to slightly rephrase this thought.  With such a holy perspective, circumstances, encounters, and the random events that happen can be transformed, sending forth healthy, whole, and holy tendrils ahead of us — tendrils that God, in his omnipotence, can pull toward himself and toward the good.  Again, such a holy, eucharistic perspective and consequent actions trans form us. Thus, we are capable of more and more holy, joyful, prayerful, eucharistic actions in all the circumstances we encounter in this huge, expansive, and often difficult reality called the present.

This is truly how we establish God’s will in our lives.  However, this does require patience — also a virtue which will allow us to perceive God’s will.  Living the Christian life in this faithful manner will allow us to see truth and meaning when we read words like these from the Scriptures:

Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.  He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.  All the paths of the Lord are mercy and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies (Psalm 25/24: 8 – 10).

We live in disturbing and distressing times.  We seem to be pressed on all sides.  These times will test us.  Fear and worry do us no good.  A determination to rejoice, being ever prayerful, and living eucharistically (by giving thanks in, with, and for all things) will guide us and direct our ways.  When we don’t know what to do, or what decisions to make continue patiently with joy, prayer and thanksgiving.  Also engage with the words of David in Psalm 5: 8,

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make you way straight before me.

In Christ the Good Shepherd who leads us,

Fr Irenaeus