Discern Part 2

 

Yesterday, you held the questions that were living in you.  Today, I want to introduce you to a format and framework for living the questions.  I encourage you to adapt this in ways that make sense for you.  Let the process inform you rather than make you feel like you must follow every single word exactly.  Moreover, you may not need all seven steps.  Feel free to make this your own as you seek to be open to the Spirit in living your questions.

State Question: This is a process of gradually uncovering what is at the heart of your questions.  Start by writing down the question, then ask if that fully captures what you are wrestling with ~ why or why not?  Walk away from the question and come back ~ how is that question read now?  Continue to play with the question, try not to get too tense or tied up in getting it “right”, trusting that every re-phrasing of the words inches you closer. 

Gather Information: List all the options and opportunities; all the ways you could respond.  Be as creative as possible, be wildly outrageous in possibilities, too.  What is the safest answer? What is the riskiest?  Identify potential obstacles, concerns, and needs.  What excites you most, and what fears awaken within you?

Pray: Reflect on the options and opportunities through prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit to open your mind and heart. Imagine yourself at the end of one year, how might you feel?  Hold each opportunity quietly before God and listen for God’s still singing voice/wisdom.

Decide with peace: Choose the option that brings the most peace.  Trust that you can postpone the decision if you don’t sense peace.  Note that peace can still hold space for nervousness; we will never be 100% confident, but hopefully feel the “Blessed Assurance” of God’s grace and love. 

Accept the beautiful messiness: Fully embrace your choice, asking the Holy Spirit to give courage when you want to backtrack or run away. 

Action with openness: Implement your decision, potentially giving up something you are attached to, and ask for strength to move forward. 

Seek signs: Look for good fruit from your decision; where are you sensing grace or goodness or God’s love?

 

If you have questions or want to talk more about this, let me know.  Try this out in your life, test it, dance, and play with the process.  You can use this for small choices (where to go for dinner with a friend or what to get your pastor for Christmas) before trying it out on a major decision.  Prayers you find a way to live your questions in the days to come.