After news yesterday that the VA would require a significant amount of work done on the home we are trying to purchase (this after at first giving us the thumbs up) before approving our mortgage, I was confused. I should not use the past tense, because I am still a bit confused. This would be the third house to fall through. God, do we keep pressing on in this direction? Have we missed something? Are you leading us to something or somewhere else? In your goodness are you protecting us from ourselves and our decisions and guiding us elsewhere?
Oh how I want to ask for and receive some special billboard in neon lights from Him pointing in the way we should go. And by the way, I really like to check off items on a to do list, so one of those in addition to the billboard would be fabulous. God is able to do whatever pleases him, but neon lights and lists don't seem to be modes of communication he uses!
Last night I wanted to get in God's Word and study about discernment, guidance, decision making. My head was spinning. I could have pulled the close your eyes, open the Bible, point to part of the page and read whatever was there ;o) method, but opted to hop on the Desiring God website. While not infallible nor having any authority over the Word of God, books and sermons have been means of grace in my life; pointing me to the Word and allowing me to glean from the study and wisdom of others.
I printed and read (two times each - lots to digest!) the sermons titled The Goodness of God and the Guidance of Sinners based on Psalm 25 and What is the Will of God and How Do We Know It? based on Romans 12:1 - 2 (I am consistently having trouble creating links on Blogger lately. I highly recommend grabbing your Bible and going to the DG website and putting those titles into the search bar).
A few of Piper's words that are sticking with me in the study of those passages:
* "The prerequisite of divine guidance is not the quest for messages, but the quest for holiness."
* "...God guides us by bringing our hearts and minds into harmony or sympathy with his own heart and mind so that when we study a situation, we discern (you might even say intuit) what path would best accord with the character and purposes revealed in his Word."
* "What is necessary is that we have a renewed mind, that is so shaped and so governed by the revealed will of God in the Bible, that we see and assess all relevant factors with the mind of Christ, and discern what God is telling us to do. This is very different from constantly trying to hear God's voice saying do this and do that."
* "There is a world of difference between praying and laboring for a renewed mind that discerns how to apply God's Word, on the one hand, and the habit of asking God to give you a new revelation of what to do, on the other hand...God's aim is a new mind, a new way of thinking and judging, not just new information."
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2 comments:
Praying for you and these frustrating circumstances.
I know that your tender heart that so desires to do the will of God will find you doing just that, as you daily continue to seek and trust Him and walk by faith.
You are always an encouragement to me, Jen. May God grant all your requests in the perfect way only HE knows.
Love you and miss you always!
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