How does God guide us

This blog has been prepared for a Bible study based on Chapter 20 of Knowing God by J I Packer

Some are afraid that they might miss God's plan for their lives.

Gods guidance is based upon two facts ...

1. The reality of God's plan
2. The ability of God to communicate that plan

The reality of these two facts are seen time and again throughout the pages of scripture

How does God today?

Packer gives us a class of problems which we may seek for guidance ... All of which are good (p265) but between which we may have to decide

They cannot be chosen by a direct reading of scripture
There does in this case need some sort of discernment ... How is this to be achieved?

Packer points to common sense ... Rational thought! ... Principles of bible teaching

I do like the comment at the bottom of page 268 'he guides me in the paths of righteousness' but not anywhere else!

Packer proceeds to highlight 6 common pitfalls

1. Forgetting to think ... To consider the implications of the choice
2. Forgetting to think ahead .... To weigh up the long term consequences of a decision
3. Not willing to take advice ... There are always people around about us who know the Bible, us, our own giftings and limitations better than we do and it is indeed biblical to take their advice, to ask them, to get their opinion ... Even if we end up rejecting what they say we can weigh up their opinions ... To look at a decision from a different angle is helpful
4. Forgetting to suspect oneself ... By this is to look at ourselves and ask why we are feeling this is the right course of action ... These feelings can sometimes be leading us in our own way ... Can we justify what we are deciding or not?
5. Forgetting to Discount personal magnetism ... Are we taking this decision to make us popular or because people will put us on a proverbial pedestal
6. Forgetting to wait ... 'wait on the Lord' is something which the psalmist is continually reminding us to do

The thing about all of this is that even though we have taken all of the above into consideration packer reminds us that there are no simple answers

We may well have to evaluate as we go along but there is no easy problem free life ... Look at the Bible characters ... No one has ever been completely guided by God in all decisions that made a carefree life... All came up against problems

'I simply had to bow in the knowledge that God was his own interpreter... We must allow God to do what he wants to do. And if you are thinking that you know the will of God for your life and you are anxious to do that, you are probably in for a very rude awakening because nobody knows the will of God for his entire life...'

When we miss the road

If we end up going the wrong way . It is usually a good idea to turn around ...even if it will take a bit of effort to make that turning. God is a god who takes all of us and makes good out of the mistakes. This is part of the overall sovereignty of God

He wills that whatever happens, whatever mistakes we make that we shall come safe home. Slip pings and strings there will be but the everlasting arms are beneath us; we shall be caught, rescued restored.

How freeing all of this is

Robert says ...

I think all of the above is completely great teaching and advice ... However i wonder for a wee bit of discussion on facebook / blog /email a couple of questions

1. How to the work of the Holy Spirit impact into all of this
2. Do you agree with all of the above ... Is there any other advice you would give to someone who is seeking to know whether decision x y or z is the right way to go?