Spiritual Discernment and Christian Decision-Making

Personal Position on Spiritual Discernment

There are a number of decision-making factors that one should consider when attempting to determine where, and in what form of education or occupation, an individual should pursue their path. These factors are generally stratified into those that pertain to the individual and his or her own concerns, those that directly relate to God and God's will or specific purpose for that person, and those that relate to the impact of a decision on other people. After completing the Decision-Making Factors Survey found at the end of Dennis Horton's article "Discerning Spiritual Discernment: Assessing Current Approaches for Understanding God's Will," it is quite clear that the most important of those factors for me personally are those pertaining to my own individual concerns and God's specific plan for me. Perhaps these factors figure most prominently into my own decision-making process because I have long held the conviction that by utilizing the particular talents that God has given me — in a way he will support — I will inevitably benefit society.

Key Decision-Making Factors and the Survey

Regardless of the specific reason why these factors are most important to me, it is worth noting that all of the factors pertaining to my own particular skills and abilities (such as statements seven and nine) were ranked "highly important" by me (Horton, 2009, p. 30). There were two other factors I considered highly important, one of which I believe is properly stratified into those pertaining to my individuality: statement three, which concerns the circumstances and opportunities available at a given moment in time. Yet I do not believe that any of these statements are less important than statement four: "depending on a sense of inner peace from the Holy Spirit" (Horton, 2009, p. 30). I believe that such a feeling of peace, stemming from God, is a way of qualitatively measuring his approval of the result of my decision-making process, and it also shapes how such a decision is approached. I would only make decisions that felt right and in accordance with the direction my life is taking. Moreover, I would only select decisions I believe are in accordance with God's general will, and which may pertain to a perceived purpose that I believe he has for me.

Of all the other statements, it is significant that the only other two I described as important are six and ten, both of which involve praying to God regarding matters in my life. I am a strong advocate of prayer — I pray twice a day and believe that my relationship with God is close, that he is never far from me, and that he is fully aware of not only all that I do but also of all that I could do. As such, I seek his counsel directly, without mediators such as priests or authors, to help inform my decisions with the degree of divine approval I require. Yet with his tacit understanding, I also believe that he has given me most of the tools I need to reason through — and even feel — the rightness of the decisions I make.

Therefore, when it comes to applying one of the decision-making processes discussed by Horton, I believe the one most beneficial to me is the Pragmatic Christian Wisdom Emphasis. This viewpoint acknowledges that there is more than one single, specific plan or goal that God has created an individual to achieve, while also readily acknowledging that "God's general will" should be adhered to (Horton, 2009, p. 10). Moreover, it seeks to supplement an overt reliance on Biblical scriptures with counsel obtained from a multitude of sources. I believe I can obtain such counsel from those who know me best — such as my parents — and directly from God himself, as alluded to above.

Prayer is also a significant component of the Pragmatic Christian Wisdom Emphasis, and is "still highly valued" (Horton, 2009, p. 10). This aspect of the approach is well aligned with my current practices and beliefs. Most importantly, this methodology accords with my beliefs about my own capabilities. I truly believe that God has made me distinct from other people — no two individuals are completely the same. My conviction has always been that I can move the world and people in a way few others can. I believe this ability — which has yet to fully manifest itself — is what renders me distinct from others and is what God wants me to harness. This conviction is akin to the facet of the Pragmatic Christian Wisdom Emphasis that highlights "the responsible use of their strengths, talents and abilities." By using what is within me — a reflection of everything God has endowed me with — I believe I can truly find my own path. I recognize that this methodology may not be as thoroughly documented as approaches explicitly based on scriptures, and I am aware that it may involve unexpected turns that make the journey difficult. But I also believe that God has endowed me with the capacity to handle such vicissitudes and to ultimately fulfill the purpose for which he created me.

Conclusion

MacArthur, J. (2008). "Discernment: Spiritual survival for a church in Christ." www.crossroad.com. Retrieved from

Sakach, T. (2012). "Spiritual discernment." www.innertech.com. Retrieved from http://innertech.com/blog/2007/01/spiritual-discernment/