Discerning the will of God
This will be the final mission blog for the foreseeable future. They may return at some point, but for now energy needs to be focused on restructuring and reorganizing the Mission Outreach component of RPC in light of the significant staffing changes that occurred at the end of this year. Previous blog posts will still be available on the RPC website to read or share.
There are times when each of us makes significant decisions regarding the course of one’s life. Particularly when those decisions have long-term ramifications, many are drawn to understand what they believe to be God’s will for that situation. Here at Roswell Presbyterian, we have heard this question recently in the explanation that our beloved executive pastor, Lyndsay Slocum, expressed as she was discerning a new call to ministry away from RPC.
For someone like her who has spent her entire adult-working life in the same context the coming months and years will be challenging. The other day I shared with Lyndsay what I have experienced in the many significant life changes I have made in my own life.
“There will certainly be times when you will feel that you have made a mistake, that you have taken on too much or should have stayed in the place you knew. Be confident in the knowledge that you did not make a mistake. I am convinced that choosing to move to Kairos or staying at RPC were both within the will of God for you and therefore in either decision no mistake would have been made. God allows us significant freedom in determining the direction of our lives within defined parameters and you have decided for change and new growth within those boundaries.”
My own understanding of God’s will from which this message to Lyndsay was derived, comes from discussions I had with my own father that continue to resonate within me. When seeking the will of God, we often want specific directives that God has for our lives. Essentially, we are asking the question; “Is this right for me?” My father calls these questions the ‘concealed’ will of God. That which is unique to me and my circumstance. The revelation of the concealed will of God is incredibly rare, even within scripture. In only a handful of examples does God speak directly to individuals directing the course of their lives.
The more common will of God is found in what my father calls the ‘revealed’ will of God. That which is already known about the way we were created and how God desires us to live. The revelation of the scripture and the perfect example of the Son, Jesus, tell us almost all there is to know about God’s will for our lives. The Bible is replete with directives for how we should live.
“O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what is required of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8
“Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”
The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!
Luke 10:26-28
Those statements, and many like them, are the universal directives for each of us as we navigate life decisions. The ‘revealed’ will of God should impact every aspect of our lives…how we utilize our time, what portion of our finances are to be shared, how we interact with other people, etc.
In the decision Lyndsay made as well as those we make ourselves God gives us the freedom to pursue interests, passions, creativity, and growth. There is incredible freedom within the revealed will to live meaningful, productive, and fulfilling lives within God’s purposes.
As we all consider how God would have us live as people of mission and service may we be intentional about living according to all that has been revealed rather than waiting for some concealed directive that God has just for us. We can also celebrate the opportunities given to Lyndsay and the rest of us to fulfill God’s will for our lives in limitless and meaningful ways.
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As RPC’s Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach, Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss, has a heart for service and a diverse array of experiences in the mission field. Be sure to subscribe to the Mission Outreach Blog to read and follow along as he documents his personal journey and shares his vision for RPC’s mission outreach commitment. Along with providing meaningful resources, this blog will help jumpstart the important conversations our church community must be having about missional living.
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss is the Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach at RPC. Dan is particularly passionate about encouraging the church to reflect the diversity found in its surrounding community in regard to age, gender, ethnicity, education and economic status.