Discerning God's Best

In the famous Led Zeppelin song “Stairway to Heaven” lead singer Robert Plant coins this theological phrase. “Yes there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run; There’s still time to change the road you’re on.” Jesus tells us in Luke’s gospel that there are two roads, one narrow and one wide. One that is difficult to find it and only few do; while the other road is wide and easy to find that even a blind man on crutches walking through a minefield could find it without skipping a beat.  When Nehemiah heard of the destitute condition of his people and that of the Jerusalem he broke down and wept asking the God of heaven for favor and direction. One of the biggest questions we have as human beings is, “how do I know if I am walking in the will of God?” Or we ask, “Am I doing what I am suppose to do with my life?” I often wonder if we fear not being in the center of God’s will more than the belief that  we are living in it and thriving.  Without getting stuck in a bunch of theological quicksand, let me attempt to simplify your thought processes and permit you to breathe a sigh of relief with the confidence that you are exactly where God wants you to be.

You have heard the often-quoted slogan, “First things firsts.” And it continues with “And second things…(meaningful pause) “Second things not at all.” In a world where multi-tasking is worshipped, the truth is no one can be excellent in an infinite number of areas at the same time. When we try to accomplish a lot at the same time we tend to let people and things slip through the cracks. This “multi-mentality” can confuse and misdirect our focus enough to make us feel we have missed God’s will, His best.

So here is the first life principle: What is best that you need to focus on and what is good that you need to remove from your life? Either you are defending the status quo, or you are reforming it making it best.  We have to learn to see what is essential—and to ignore the rest. Learning to see what is essential is not an easy task, but the deliberate decision to ignore the rest is much more difficult. Fortunately we have the body of Christ who can help us discern whether we need to keep going, change direction, what to focus on and or what to eliminate.

Secondly, Observe the people, events and opportunities around you. See what God is doing, where He is moving and immerse yourself completely in Him. Sometimes you are on the shoreline deciding whether to jump in, while at other times you are simply caught in the mainstream without much thought or effort. Often the Lord will speak in the “macro” meaning He will use many facets of your life to communicate what He is up to. We tend to limit Him to only speaking to us through a “Burning Bush” or like Paul’s “Road to Damascus” experience. This mindset can cause us to think we are “stuck” because that experience has yet to happened or there is a fear that it never will. Ask yourself: What is God saying to me in my times of prayer and through His word? What am I hearing from those in my small group? What is the climate of my relationships and what are the common threads? How do these answers affect my life direction and focus?

The “Nehemiah principle” is another method to discerning the road to travel upon and what is best.  Ask about the things that are closest to the heart of God from people who are invested in adhering to them. Nehemiah first inquired of one of his brothers and others who were in the know. When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. I said, "I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father's house have sinned.  Nehemiah 1:4-6 (NASB). Nehemiah heard what was on the heart of God, (the Jewish exiles who were in great distress and reproach, and about the broken down state of Jerusalem).

·       He Sat down and wept and mourned for days. When we know what breaks God’s heart our response is similar and will be more then a one-time experience.

·       He fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. The burden and despair over the news overwhelmed him to the point of abstaining from food and anything else that would prevent him from completely seeking the Lord in prayer.

·       He confessed his sin, that of his household and on behalf of the nation of Israel. When you see the heart of God and are moved by it your natural response will be deep repentance on many fronts.

Lastly, never make major decisions outside of community. Allow the body of Christ to be part of your process. Be confident that as long as you are seeking the Lord and practicing the things mentioned above, listening to wise counsel you will without a doubt be exactly where He wants you to be.