Aye, there's the rub, isn't it...how to discern what the will of God is. Very often we have to decide what the lesser of two evils is. The world is rife with evils to pick between. But what about when there is more than one good? How does one discern between what is just good and what God's good is?

 

In Romans 12, St. Paul gives great thought to this question. He addresses this to Roman Christians, Jews and Gentiles...different much the way a high church Roman Catholic and Pentecostal Holy Roller might be today. One group following the teaching and tradition of thousands of years and the other discovering it as a whole new religion.

 

While affirming what each Christian brings to the table, Paul tries to point them away from relying on their own understanding to what God's intention is. That is a hard thing for either group to swallow, I imagine. If we want to live according to God's will, we may have to step back from what we were so sure of and ask ourselves who and what our own understanding benefits.

 

Do we choose what seems to be the easiest or most comfortable course? “Do not be conformed to this world”...the world prefers the easy way.  Does it consider the whole body of Christ or is it focused on our own vision or our like minded group? “I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” This is not our Church, but God's.

 

Does our vision seek to include the gifts of as many people as possible or are there people we would prefer not to be a part? “we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us” Leaving out any cripples the body for all and that body is Christ's whose will we are trying to discern!

 

Does your understanding of God's will represent the church as Jesus commissioned it? “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” Are we about serving him no matter our situation or fears?

 

Last, but not least, is our vision, choice, position the most loving one? One that loves the Lord, our neighbor and ourselves? Not the mushy, “I love you to bits” sort of love, but real, love? “Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.”

 

If we make our choices according to the principles Paul sets out in his letter,

it will help us distinguish between God's will and our own and help us to know which path is the one he is leading us down.

 

God bless you on this journey, may your heart be open to his will for you and yours, Your sister in Christ,                                                     Pastor Karen