It is unlikely that many people approach their lives thinking, “I should make this more complicated,” yet, too often our decisions do exactly that. We want things to run smoothly and to be easier in many ways, only to find that it takes very little to make it all more complicated. Even the seemingly insignificant decisions and actions can come with a cascade of unintended consequences.

The biggest challenges to the sense of comfort and peace I desire are found in the things I own, and the engagements I accept. The “stuff” that collects in my house and in my calendar seems useful, even necessary, at the time, and later turns out to be a source of frustration and complication. As we continue to unpack our belongings, I find there are numerous things that have no home. These simple things take up space, filling drawers that could hold other things, and taking up valuable shelf space. Unpacking pens, refills, and miscellaneous office supplies filled several drawers that I now need to root through to find the items I need, and there are still more things that could go in the same space. I keep asking, “Why did I buy all of this? Am I ever going to use it? Will I remember where it is when I need it?” Useful items have suddenly become clutter.

My schedule can experience the same overload. It is easy to say, “Yes,” to invitations that I find attractive and meaningful, but it is also easy to say that to too many of them. Of course, it doesn’t take long to realize that each acceptance typically comes with preparation and a greater commitment of time than I expected. Unchecked, activities I love become burdensome and affect everything else in my plans.

I know I am not the only one who experiences such challenges. Things and plans embraced with good intentions quickly accumulate and become obstacles instead of opportunities. This is probably why the early church Mothers and Fathers placed such a high value on simplicity. The fewer attachments we have, the less the things of life can impede our journey. As we embrace the simple life, it is easier to find our focus and pursue it with passion, and in the process, we create space to commune with God.

The rich, young ruler who came to Jesus asking, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” was certainly not expecting Jesus’ reply. I imagine he was ready to take on a new task, or embrace something else into his life. Instead, Jesus called on him to release what he already possessed and follow him. The story ends with the man leaving discouraged. Letting go is hard.

Saying, “No,” is hard as well. There are so many wonderful, important opportunities around us, so many places to be involved and make a difference, yet we cannot do it all. It can be equally discouraging to turn down invitations we want to accept but, whether it is things or appointments (or anything else for that matter), anything that removes the simplicity from our lives also removes our peace and our effectiveness.

During a part of my education, while I had a full schedule at school, and a church I served part-time, a friend gave me a small cartoon. In that pre-digital meme, a woman is speaking to her exasperated partner, “Just remember, dear, Jesus loves you, and everyone else has a wonderful plan for your life.” I laughed, but I also winced, because much of my life was consumed by things that kept me busy, not things that brought real meaning to my life. I thought I could blame syllabi or others’ expectations for my full schedule, but that was not the true cause.

The real key to navigating these challenges comes in the realization that we set our schedules, and we choose how much we possess. We have the power to choose the simple life, or we can continue to make the same decisions that keep us cluttered and confused. We have the power to let go, and the authority to say, “no.” This is where a clear sense of vision and purpose becomes invaluable to our decision making process. When we have a clear vision of who we are and where we are going, we are able to make wise choices about what we allow in our lives. Just as we can choose to buy one more thing and take on one more task, we can also choose the simple life that accentuates the significant things while releasing the clutter and busyness.

Jesus offered some very sound advice to his followers. He said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, and all these other things will be given to you.” (Matthew 6:33) When we put God, and God’s agenda first, all of the other things of life will find their proper place. When we invert the process, we become overloaded and exhausted, and God’s great purpose for our lives gets lost in the mess.

Choosing the simple life is not easy, but the reward is great. To make the decision, we must let go of the need to own everything, and we must find our value in our relationship with God. It requires accepting the truth that our possessions do not make us important, nor does the level of activity in our calendar. Our value, our sense of worth, our identity will not be found in these places. Instead, we must come to know that our significance is found in the truth that God, “chose us in him [Jesus] before the foundation of the world, to be adopted as the children of God.” (Ephesians 1:4)

We matter because we are created in the image of God, loved by God, and made God’s children through Jesus Christ. With that knowledge, we can pursue lives of meaning, rooted in something much greater that the things people typically chase after. As a young woman I met in a poverty stricken community in Brazil once said to me, “We have everything because we have him.”

May the simple life of that truth call us and guide us as we live lives of destiny and purpose. May we throw off the things that weigh us down, so that we can run into the future God prepares for us. May we bind ourselves to God and find that the chains that hold us back are broken as we do. Maybe it is time to take our saturated schedules and our over-filled spaces, and trade them for the joy of simplicity.

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I hear it frequently, and have many times over the past 30 years of ministry, “We just cannot get enough volunteers.” It seems like most churches wrestle with this issue. How can we get more people to volunteer for the various ministries we offer? Sometimes, this leads to a place of great frustration where leaders begin to believe that nobody cares about the ministry of the church.

I am not convinced that is the problem. I believe people deeply care about Jesus Christ and his mission in the world. Numerous people I talk with are filled with passion. They love God, and they want to see the world transformed. When they pray the Lord’s Prayer, they really do want God’s name to be made holy, God’s kingdom to come, and God’s will to be done right here, right now, on earth as it is in heaven. They see the vastness of the need, and they believe God wants to answer that need through the church, but something is missing. I contend that the missing piece is found in the language we use.

Words have meaning. Yes, there are definitions for every word we use, but there is also the meaning we associate with those words. Combined, these definitions and meanings lead to assumptions and understandings about our communication. Use the wrong words and people envision the wrong things, and act accordingly. The proper words, however, elicit a vibrant response that releases powerful beliefs and actions.

So, what word is the problem? The surprisingly common and deceptive word, “volunteer.” Let me be honest and straightforward. I never volunteer at church, not as a pastor, nor as a Christian. I am not even sure it is possible. I volunteer to help a number of organizations and causes, but I never volunteer for ministry. Why? Simply because any action of ministry, no matter how small, is not volunteering, it is serving. Before you dismiss me and accuse me of an argument of semantics, take a moment to hear me out.

Volunteering has everything to do with me offering my time to something I value or believe in. Serving recognizes my life is a gift from God, and the time I offer is actually God’s time given to me to use to fulfill God’s purposes in my life and the world. When I volunteer, I am in control, and I am giving someone else what belongs to me. When I serve, God is in control, and I am responding to God’s grace in my life, sharing what God already shared with me. Volunteering is about helping out with something important. Serving is about being a part of something bigger, believing my part is connected to God’s vision for the transformation of the world.

Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” In these simple words, we are reminded that, as followers of Jesus, what we do is not about us. It is not about our personal tastes, our private agendas, or even about the traditions of our local church. What we do is about Jesus, and his plan for the world. When I serve, I am connected to something so much greater than I could imagine. My actions are no longer about how I feel, or what I get, including the affirmation and appreciation of others. As a servant, I am acting to please God, to show my love to the One who loves me most.

I often think of the comparison to marriage. I do not volunteer to help my wife with projects that matter to her, or to care for our family. I choose to give myself as an act of love. That may be the act of making the bed, listening to a story, or any number of little things that express my heart’s connection to my wife and children. Not once have I said, “Okay, I will volunteer to care for you when you are sick,” or, “I volunteer to clean the house.” Instead, I choose to do such things because I am in love. I want to respond to the love I receive, and show the love I have.

My relationship with Jesus is no different. I do not preach on Sunday because it is my job. If that was the motivation, it would be a terrible job. I don’t visit people in the hospital, help with our youth, teach, lead, or anything else because I must. Instead, I do all the acts of ministry because I love Jesus, and I love the people I am called to serve. I do not volunteer to help the church, or the community. I serve people because of the passion, and compassion, in my heart. Acts of ministry are not just tasks, they are expressions of love, opportunities to value others through our service.

Maybe the reason we seem to always need more volunteers is because we actually don’t need any volunteers at all. Maybe we need servants who understand how great God’s blessings are, and what a privilege it is to share those blessings with others. Maybe we need to help people see how our acts of ministry are signs of our love for God, and our love for people. Maybe we need to help people reconnect to Jesus, who said, and showed, that he came to serve others out of the vast, compassionate heart of God. Could it be that when we do, people will begin to see their own actions as following in Jesus’ footsteps, becoming like him in what they do?

I do not volunteer at church, but I will willingly give my life in service to God and others. There is but a small reward for what I volunteer to do, but my service, in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit can quite literally change the world. That is something I can be passionate about. That is something that I do not want to miss, and I know that I am not alone.

Today, we can choose to ask God for a servant’s heart. We can begin to change our words, our thoughts, and our motivations. We can exchange doing something nice for people, or just helping out, for the privilege of partnering with God in God’s work in the world. In 1 Corinthians 3:9, the Apostle Paul refers to us as God’s coworkers. That is so much more attractive and meaningful than church volunteers.

So, let’s embrace a new vision. Together, let’s open our hearts and minds to embrace something greater than ourselves or a program, and let’s become servants of the Most High God, ambassadors for Christ, and emissaries of the kingdom of God. It is time to believe that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can can fulfill that great prayer Jesus taught. May it be so!

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“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” – James 1:19

Have you ever been in the midst of a conversation only to find yourself waiting for the other person to stop talking, in order to say what you are thinking? Have you realized that you don’t remember what the other person said because you were already processing your response? If so, don’t feel bad. You are not alone. Far too many of us get so caught up in our thoughts, and easily become sure that we have the most important point to make, that we fail to really hear what someone else is saying.

Just because we are not alone in this struggle does not mean that we should simply accept that things must remain this way. We have authority over our thoughts and actions. We may unconsciously choose to put our thoughts, ideas, and words first, but, if we become aware of that process, we can change it. It will not be easy, but it may be one of the more important things we do.

James reminds us we should be quick to listen and slow to speak. More than a reminder, it is a call to look at what is most important in our hearts and minds. If we are willing to embrace a new level of self-awareness, there are many blessings awaiting us on the other side of our decision. Being present in the moment, and truly listening to others, develops our character as we, “humbly consider others better than ourselves.” (Philippians 2:3), and enables us to learn something meaningful in the lives of those we converse with. Blocking that awareness, hinders our growth and our relationships.

While in college, a friend invited me to his church to hear a special speaker. We went for the evening meeting and the church was packed. I did not know of the speaker, but others clearly did. Everyone was excited he was willing to speak at their church, and I was expecting something amazing.

Early in the message, the speaker said, “Everywhere in the Bible, the image of the lion is used as a symbol of the enemy of our spiritual life.” Around me, people were nodding in affirmation and support. I, however, was tripping over his comment. My first thought was, “What about the, ‘Lion of the tribe of Judah,’” a reference to Jesus himself. I spent the remainder of the message stewing over that thought. I could not wait to get out of the service so that I could confront my friend with the foolishness of the speaker’s comment. Headstrong, and full of pride, I sat smugly through the rest of the service, impressed by myself and my insight.

Once we were in the car, I immediately pointed out the foolishness of the comment the speaker made. My friend sat silent. I had not considered the impact of my words in that moment, only my chance to be right. My dear friend looked at me and said, “Clearly, he made a mistake. Did you hear anything else he said?” The truth was… not a word. I judged him quickly, and became enmeshed in my own thoughts, missing everything else. I was busy preparing my words to say, missing the rest of what the speaker had to say, and, in the process, missing anything that God desired to say to me as well.

It was shortly after this experience that one of the people I deeply respect asked if I ever heard of the speaker. Before I could respond, he went on to tell me how powerfully his books impacted his life and ministry, and encouraged me to read them. When I finally got over myself, I purchased a book and began to read. The insights were deep and meaningful. I read more, and still have some of those books on my shelves. My “slow to listen, quick to speak” heart robbed me of something precious in that little church, and that attitude can steal from us all.

People matter. Whether they are well-known speakers, or the server at our table, they matter. Their thoughts, ideas, and dreams matter. Their insights and visions matter. Above all, as those created in the image of God, loved by God, and sought by God, they matter to God. When we are busy thinking about ourselves, what we know and what we can say, we are missing the opportunity to really hear, and see, someone else for who they are. We are missing the chance to give our attention to one of God’s beloved, and we are diminishing the opportunity to see God at work in them.

All of us have something to add to the larger conversation, but so do those around us. Real dialog requires we listen, digest, learn, and then speak. As James said, we need to be quick to listen, while holding our tongues. Our ideas and words can wait, because, if we are honest, we will not be fully heard, until we are willing to truly hear, and it may be that God’s word will be in someone else’s voice.

Today, maybe it is time to decide to humble ourselves, and listen… just listen. Just imagine what we could be missing when we are busy talking, or thinking about talking.

The post Listen appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:14-15

Choices matter, and they are ours to make.

Today’s post is a little later than usual, and that is a choice. It is not a decision based upon deep research regarding the best time to blog on Thursdays, nor is it founded upon the statistics and insights of the Cafe’s usage. It’s the result of a conscious decision to do something else. Before you find that thoughtless and selfish, please hear me out, and trust me, it is about something much more important than me.

Currently, my wife and I are on vacation. We are enjoying some time away together in the Adirondack Mountains. My normal routine is disrupted for a good reason, and some of my inspiration is emerging while I am here. Normally, my post would be mapped out in advance, and most of my writing done long before the post is due, and yes, I did have something in mind for this morning, but you will get to see that later.

Last night, I was able to spend some quality time playing cards with my wife, and this morning, our coffee conversation was filled with laughter and visioning for our future. Of course, I could have cut those moments short to sit at my laptop, but I chose my relationship over my blog. So now, as my wife prepares for another day of adventure, I have a moment to share with you.

We all make choices, lots of them, everyday. We make decisions about how to use our resources of time, treasure, and talent. Every choice is an investment in something and comes at the cost of something else. Too often, we feel as if we must surrender those choices to someone, or something, else, when the choice is actually ours and ours alone. We can blame family, work, even pressing blog posts, for forcing us to sacrifice important things, but the power of choice belongs to us. Even God does not take that away from us.

Of course, there are consequences to our choices, but that is exactly why we must weigh them out as we make our decisions. Things are expected of us, and many things are necessary, but the final decision rests with us. Will we trade our time for a stronger faith, a healthier family, deeper friendships, and a better world, or will we exchange what we have for a little more wealth, power, and position? Will we choose to serve God and others in Jesus name, or will we serve ourselves and the expectations of the world around us? These are the questions we need to ask, because the impact of our decisions will matter whether we are aware of our motivations or not.

Joshua called upon the nation of Israel to renew their covenant with God. It was an invitation to a choice: choose God, or something else. He did not make the decision for them, he couldn’t. It was their choice to make. What they could not do was avoid the choice. Even choosing not to decide was a choice to avoid choosing God. Joshua spoke the truth to the people, and then he led by example, “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Today, we all have choices to make. Among them, is one of the most important decisions we make. Will we choose to serve the Lord? Will we put God first, above everything else? Will we accept the freedom and power God gives us to choose God?

The decision between strengthening the bond with my wife, or posting my blog before 9:00am was easy. The choice to deny myself and put God first in every aspect of my life is much more challenging, but the consequences of that decision are eternal.

So, as you live this day, the only August 16, 2018, you will ever experience, what, and who, will you choose? The choice is yours. No one else can make it for you. What is your choice?

The post Choice appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” – Ephesians 1:18-19 NIV

God finds unexpected ways to get your attention, and if you are willing, your awareness Divine presence will teach you everything.

The morning was fairly routine. There were a number of things on my “to-do” list, but I began with some time alone with God on our front porch. It’s become a bit of sacred space for me as I enter God’s presence to the sound of birdsong, roosters crowing, and squirrels chattering. I even get some of nature’s visitors who join me for devotions. I love reflecting on Scripture and praying in the stillness of this serene environment.

This morning, God’s inroad was going to be different. It seemed like every other morning, but I struggled to stay focused. The list of things I needed to do kept creeping into my thoughts and I would need to re-center. Then came the noise. It was not a loud noise, just a persistent, rhythmic squeaking. I thought it might be the neighbor’s chickens at first, but it was too uniform and constant. Honestly, in my distracted state, it was annoying.

Looking up from my prayers, I found the source. A lone child on our church playground was fully enjoying one of our swings. I thought, “this can’t last much longer,” but it did. I was about to abandon my devotional time and launch into work, when I realized God was speaking, and speaking through the noise of a swing. While I was busy seeking some deep insight, this precious child of God was embracing pure joy. It was as if God kept saying, “Quit trying so hard, and savor my presence.” So I did, and it was far better than what I planned.

We can get caught in our efforts, however well-intentioned, and miss the revelation meant for us. God is always speaking to us, sometimes in ways we don’t expect and may not be listening to. If we will remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit, our senses will be heightened to recognize when something ordinary is anything but that.

Just as Paul wrote to the Ephesians, we need the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened so that we can see God’s revelation. It may not be a child or a swing set, but God invites us to live with eyes of wonder to see, and experience, the joy of the Lord. We need our spiritual disciplines, including reading the Bible and prayer, but we will also benefit from open hearts to hear what God is saying to us through the world around us. While that revelation will never oppose the Word of God, it will help us discover a deeper awareness of God’s word to us.

Today, may the Spirit help us remain open, attentive, and receptive to what God is saying to us through all of life.

The post Spirituality and Swingsets appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

I lift up my eyes to the hills – from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2 NRSV

Yesterday morning, our internet went out. It seems a tree fell somewhere and took the line down with it. While the temporary loss was no tragedy, it did cause some significant impact on my plans for the day, including posting to the Cafe. Each new project I attempted revealed a greater reliance upon my technological connection. It was a glaring absence from my daily life, and a mild epiphany regarding my level of dependence. Cut off from my internet connection, I felt profoundly cut off from my life.

It is amazing how easily we become dependent upon the conveniences in our lives. Take one away, and we begin to feel like we cannot function. It is this reliance that fuels our willingness to pay for access, and our constant connection to our smartphones and devices. The technology is woven into our lives, making us feel empty without it.

In my newfound, unplugged time, I found myself reflecting upon my technological dependence, and questioning the depth of my dependence upon God. I, or maybe it was the Holy Spirit, began asking if I was as aware of my dependence upon God, and if I would so readily recognize any disconnection. I talk about my need for God, but do I really affirm that need with my thoughts and actions? Do I feel as separated and confounded if I miss my time in study, prayer, and meditation? I wasn’t sure I liked my answers.

We depend upon many things to make our lives more convenient and effective, but we depend upon God for life itself. God is not removed from creation, standing back and watching it unfold. Rather, God is intimate, enmeshed in the details of every life, giving meaning to our experiences and joys, while redeeming our hurts and pains. We need God just as we need air to breathe. Our dependence upon God never changes, but our awareness of that dependence does. The deeper issue is our awareness.

Truthfully, I lived without the internet and other technology for many years, and I still can. There are also millions of people who live without it every day. Dependence upon technology is more of an illusion than we realize. Life without dependence upon God is also an illusion.

In Psalm 121, the psalmist knew where his true dependence rested. It was in God, and God alone. That is why we also declare, “From where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.”

The post Dependence appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

I love to fish. It started early with trips to the lake with my father, using my youth-sized pole. I caught a lot of bluegill, and I still remember my first bass. When, I was twelve, my father became interested in fly fishing. I joined him, and I was hooked (pun intended). I quickly learned, trout are smart. I caught bluegill on lures, worms, cheese, and even once on an empty hook. Trout are not so easily fooled. Choosing the right fly and placing correctly on the stream are a necessity.

I wish I could say that I was more trout-like than I am. Though I am far more discerning than I was, I can still be drawn in by some pretty “cheesy” bait. Something will come come along that catches my attention and without enough thoughtful reflection, I am on the line. Just like fish drawn to artificial lures, I think I know what I will find, only to be disappointed in the end.

Jesus was a master of avoiding the lures of his time. In fact, he saw all bait exactly for what it was… bait. When he was challenged with questions and comments that invited a defensive response, luring him into unhealthy debate, he recognized it, responded accordingly, and stepped away. Sometimes he ignored it or diffused it, but he certainly exposed it.

What an example, and what a lesson! We don’t have to be drawn in to useless debates. We don’t have to react. We don’t have to bite. Our culture keeps tempting us to strike, only leading us to wrestle with each other on the ends of the line. What if, instead of taking the bait, we let the Holy Spirit make us savvy enough to see the difference? What if we used the spiritual gift of discernment to see things for what they are, and avoided the pointless arguments and divisions of our day?

There is great joy found in a peaceful spirit, and great blessing in unity. The world around us will continue to shout for our attention, but when we still our minds and spirits, we will hear the tender voice of God guiding us to reframe the discussion to God’s perspective. Just as it was for Jesus, choosing a godly response will quiet the contentious, and illuminate the path of God’s peace.

The post Don’t Take the Bait appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

A solid faith is a thinking faith. God blessed us with the gift of reason, and it is a gift that must not remain unused. Reason helps us to apply what we learn, think deeply about our beliefs and experiences, and share the truth with others. As we wrestle through experiences, questions, and doubts, we strengthen our faith, and refine its impact upon our lives.

John Wesley believed that Scripture was sufficient unto itself, and the foundation of true religion. Yet, he understood the value of reason. He said, “Now, of what excellent use is reason, if we would either understand ourselves, or explain to others, those living oracles.” Rather than merely memorizing truths and doctrine, he encouraged people of faith to reflect deeply and grow in their understanding.

Over the course of my ministry, numerous people have inquired about the best way to get around doing the study and thinking for themselves. One person was even quite straightforward in their request, “I really don’t want to think about all this, ” they said, “Can’t you just tell me what to believe and do?” I don’t think they liked my answer, but loving leadership does not just tell people all the answers. We need to engage our faith in thoughtful ways in order to truly understand it, and live it.

Yesterday, I was blessed to have lunch with a friend and colleague. He and I hold many things in common, but we also see some things quite differently. During our conversation, we engaged some significant issues. Rather than argue our positions in an attempt to convince the other, we shared our thoughts and positions in order for both of us to grow in our understanding. I am still unpacking some of the powerful things he said, and will be for some time. His words drove me back to Scripture, Tradition, and my experience, causing me to reason through some things I strongly believe. I may discover that I need to adjust my position, or I may better understand, and express, what I already believe. Either way, reasoning together, and on my own, will be worth the effort.

This leads to an important point. Incorporating reason in our spiritual discernment involves more than just our own thoughts. We need to listen to, and engage, the reasoning of others. While our faith is deeply personal, it is never private. We are a community of faith, and each person has something of great value to bring to the discussion. We need to value others, even those who radically disagree with us, so that together, we can discern the will of God.

A final thought worth consideration is that our reasoning is not just about our human abilities. Christian reason is always assisted by the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” (14:26) Truth faith is not of our own making, it is grounded in the revelation of God. To rightly reason regarding God’s involves a harmony of my thoughts, the thoughts of the community of faith, and the instruction of the Holy Spirit.

A Bonus Note

While the heart of the discernment process involves these four steps, Wesley did include a final step in his practice as a litmus test of our insight. Knowing that we can travel down wrong paths, even with the best of intentions, he encouraged taking our discoveries and testing their agreement with Scripture. Since the Bible is the foundation for true religion, any revelation we receive must remain consistent with the teaching of Scripture. Just as we must check our math after solving a problem, so we must check our theological discovery against the word before we accept it. We may find that we reasoned well, or we may need to revisit the process to discover where we went off track. Either way, we will continue to grow though our reflection, our conversations, and our listening to the Holy Spirit.

May your weekend be blessed, and your days ahead, as you grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.

The post Discern God’s Will – Reason appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

Incorporating experience into our discernment process is much more than merely deciding what we want to be true, or what we think Scripture says on a particular subject. Rather, it is adding the knowledge each of us accumulates to the mix, along with the stories and key moments that shape our lives. This allows us to ask good questions of our interpretation of Scripture and to rightly examine our experiences, allowing the Holy Spirit to use these sources to guide us in our beliefs and actions.

Some Cautions with Experience

Our experiences can be wrong, or at least, misinterpreted. We may think our view of the world is correct, but sometimes our lens is skewed and things are not exactly as they seem. This happens frequently on social media. We read posts or comments, convinced we understand what they mean, only to find out that we misread, or misinterpreted, the words we read. We may be sure that someone is angry with us, only to discover that is far from the truth. Of course, it can go the other way as well.

We also see this concern play out in bigger ways as posts are made by those we trust, and reposted by others declaring something to be true. We may be so sure of our source that we post them as well, only to fact check later and discover we are all in error. These near daily occurrences should give us caution when we are assessing our experiences. We must always be open to the truth that our view of our experiences could be wrong.

Our world is not the whole world. It is important to incorporate not only our own experience in our discernment process, but the perspectives of others, especially those who do not see things our way. This may be difficult at times, but the result is worth the effort.

As a pastor, I frequently have church members who will approach me on an issue saying, “Everyone feels this way.” When I press them on who they spoke with, we soon discover that “everybody” is only their family, or just their circle of friends. This does not necessarily mean that their perspective is wrong, but it does mean that it is not fully informed. Incorporating experience goes beyond our thoughts and stories, to include those of others.

Emotions can help and hurt our understanding. Our emotional experience can be a great blessing in discernment. How we feel about something can be a revelation in itself. If a path doesn’t feel right, we may need to be careful before we proceed, or if we feel positive about something, it may be the Holy Spirit encouraging us to move forward. Of course, our emotions can be shaped by things other than the Spirit. Our fears and frustrations can discourage us from that the right path, and our passions can lead us to places we never wanted, or intended to go. Sober judgement is certainly called for when we examine our emotions.

While there are some cautions to consider when we engage our experiences, there are many blessings as well.

Blessings of Experience

We learned it for a reason. Our life is more than just a series of random experiences. If we believe that, “the steps of a righteous person are ordered by the Lord,” (Psalm 37:23) then we must believe that our experiences have a God-ordained purpose. They shape us and our understanding to prepare us for future decisions and discernment. We should never discount our experiences. We may need to learn to rightly understand them, but they are a valuable gift from God.

Experience makes it personal. It is all too easy to have lofty thoughts and ideas, but the real “rubber meets the road” of the Christian life is understanding the impact of our theology and beliefs on our actions, on our witness for Christ, and on how we treat others. While the “What Would Jesus Do” movement often seemed to go a little overboard, the question is still of great importance. Knowing what we know from Scripture and Tradition, asking what God wants us to “do” with that insight central to our faith walk. It is all too easy to “know what is right” and yet, live wrongly.

Application helps us understand. I love to fly fish, and I love to read about fly fishing. I can assure you, there is an amazing difference between knowing how to fish, and fishing. All of the book learning is helpful, but putting it into practice teaches what no book ever could. Likewise, our experience of putting Scripture and Tradition into practice refines our understanding. Even our mistakes and failures help us better understand the truths we live by, and refine the way we put them into practice along our journey.

Scripture, Tradition, and experience all inform our discernment process. Tomorrow, we will see how God’s gift of reason helps us bring these sources together. Until then, seek God in your circumstances and discover what the Holy Spirit is saying to you through them.

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It might seem that, if traditions are flexible in some way, that focusing on tradition would not be a solid source for discerning God’s will. This is quite true if by “tradition” we mean the practices we accept as normal, and meaningful, but when we talk about Tradition in discernment, we are speaking of something much more stable and powerful. Tradition, in our quest, is much more than just, “the way we’ve always done it.” Instead, we are looking at how the Christian Church across history has understood and applied biblical truth to the issues we face.

For our purposes, we are asking how the early church understood the teaching of Jesus and the rest of Scripture, along with how the church maintained its theology and mission across many centuries. In this case, tradition does not refer to personal, familial, or regional practices. Instead, the goal is to connect with the larger Christian Tradition that forms the foundation upon which we build our theology and practice.

Why is Tradition important in discernment? Consider these points:

Closer to the Original is Better

Maybe you played the Telephone Game at some time. The game involves putting people in a circle. The first person says something quietly into the ear of the person next to them, then that person does the same until the comment makes its way around the circle. Typically, the final words are quite different than the words originally spoken.

In a similar way, the closer we can get to the time when Scripture was written and theology formed, the more accurate our understanding of what the original words and ideas meant in the their context. We can have a much greater confidence in the interpretation of the Bible and church theology as we listen to the voices closest to the original.

In order to discern God’s direction, we must consult the voices of the early Christian mothers and fathers, for in them we find a clearer, more accurate understanding.

Consistency is Valuable

While the value of the early voices of the Christian community cannot be stated strongly enough, there is also is also great significance in the way the Church consistently expressed, and practiced, its theology. After we examine the teaching of Scripture and consider the interpretation of the early community of faith, we should also look at how that interpretation was maintained across 2000 of Christian history. When we see biblical teaching reinforced by the early faith community, and consistently maintained in the centuries to follow, we can more clearly discern God’s direction, and have more confidence in the direction we take. As Gordon Fee said, in his book How to Read the Bible for All its Worth, “Unique interpretations are usually wrong.”

Many Issues were Already Addressed

When we investigate the teaching of our Tradition, we often discover that many of the issues we wrestle with were already deeply considered and addressed. Too frequently, modern Christians struggle with discernment on issues that have already been answered. Just as education does not require us to relearn, or prove again, what we already know to be true, so our life of faith does not require us to readdress the foundations of our faith and theology

Can you imagine the frustration you would experience if you had to prove your math tables every time you wanted to pay for something, or make change? It would be exhausting, and unnecessary! We accept that these foundations have already been addressed and have no need to be challenged again and again.

In the same way, the Church has already addressed many aspects of our faith and theology, and we can safely accept that foundation in our spiritual discernment. A good, modern example is how we understand what Christians often refer to as the Old Testament. Frequently, I hear people say that the Hebrew Bible no longer has an influence over our Christian life, or that the God of the Old Testament is not the same as the God of the New Testament. These are bold assumptions and thankfully, they were already addressed.

In the year 144, Marcion of Sinope put forth his theology stating that he believed in Jesus Christ was sent by God as the Messiah, but he rejected the Hebrew Bible, and believed that the God of the Old Testament was a lesser god, and not the God of the New Testament. After much consideration and debate, the sound minds of the early church denounced Marcion’s position as heresy, restating the deep connections between the Christian witness and that of the Hebrew Bible, and reaffirming that the God of the Hebrew Bible was indeed, the same God found in Jesus and in the teaching of the early biblical writers.

When such claims are put forth in our modern day, we can say with confidence, that these issues have already been addressed and there is no need to reinvent the wheel by defending the faith against them once again.

Tradition is not infallible, but when layered upon the truth of Scripture, we have an even stronger foundation from which to discern God’s will. Tomorrow, we will turn our attention to the third layer of this process: our experience. Until then, may the cloud of witnesses that went before us, and surrounds us, help shine light upon your path.

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