Once the decision-making process has passed the test of God’s Moral Will, we can move on to the next steps. Before we move on, however, I have to re-emphasize the importance of steps 1 and 2. Too often we’re tempted to cop-out and give only a brief thought to these questions. Even when God’s Moral Will does not short-circuit the decision-making process, taking time to thoroughly evaluate God’s Word as it applies to our situation is infinitely beneficial as we move on through the rest of the process.
Step 3: Pray for wisdom
Paul prays for the Colossian church that God would fill them “with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (
Colossians 1:9) Here Paul explicitly states we receive knowledge of God’s will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. Paul prays a similar prayer for the Ephesian church in
Ephesians 1:17. That’s not a denial of miraculous direct revelation. Such revelation is always a possibility and we must be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit just as Paul was in
Acts 16. It seems clear to me, however, that Paul had a holistic view of the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul recognized the involvement of the Spirit in all he did, whether there was a miraculous revelation or not. We should have the same perspective, realizing that the Spirit speaks through the miraculous and the mundane. The key is to seek godly wisdom in all of our decisions. James encourages us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
James1:5-6 Proverbs reminds us (in the voice of Wisdom personified) “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.”
Proverbs 8:17 Be careful to note that I’m talking about godly wisdom here, not worldly wisdom.
1 Corinthians 1:18-21 makes clear that there is a distinct difference between the two. The wisdom that comes from God makes the spiritual and eternal things our highest priority, the wisdom of this world places the priority on the physical and the temporary.
Step 4: Do your homework
This is another step that many of us want to shortcut. There are no shortcuts, take the time to research your options and weigh the pros and cons. Nehemiah knew what he wanted to do, he knew it was God’s will for him to accomplish it. Yet the first thing he did when he arrived at Jerusalem was to evaluate the situation and gather information so he could proceed wisely. (
Nehemiah 2:11-16) Joshua knew that God had promised him success in conquering the Promised Land, yet the first thing he does is to send out spies to scout out their situation. (
Joshua 2) Even when we do receive direct, supernatural direction from God, it does not relieve us from our responsibility to be careful and wise in our decision-making. We cannot make good decisions without carefully counting the cost (
Luke 14:28).
Step 5: Seek godly counsel
Once we’ve done our homework, it’s time to begin evaluating options. This should not be done in a vacuum. God has created us to be creatures of community, relying on the strengths of the body of Christ. No decision should ever be made without the input of wise friends and advisors within the body of Christ. This is true for all decisions at all levels. Even the Apostles made a corporate decision-making process. Flying solo in the decision-making process is a recipe for failure. (
Proverbs 15:22)
When seeking out counselors, look for mature believers with a variety of perspectives. Don’t look for people who think just like you do. Seek the opinions of those who see things differently. If you’re an emotional person, seek out the opinion of someone who is more logical. If you’re an impulsive person, seek out the opinion of someone who is more deliberate. Get the perspective of the opposite sex. Seeking godly counsel is a research project of its own.
Hang in there, only two more steps to go!