Probably the most common question I have received when discussing my views on decision making and the will of God is, “Are you saying that God doesn’t care what I do?” If you are new to this series you will probably want to check out the post here entitled, Decision Making and the Will of God - Answers, to get up to speed on where I’m coming from on this issue.
If you have always believed that God has a divine blueprint of your life and that He is daily involved in providing you little hints and prompts in order to help bring you “into the center of His perfect will,” then I can understand why the idea that He actually provides Christians with a great deal of freedom in choosing a vocation, a spouse, a ministry, etc. could feel isolating, or even scary. While it may feel that way now, many who have left this “blueprint model,” of a personal will of God, for the wisdom model have described a enormous sense of relief, like a weight of worry had been lifted from their shoulders. Some have even gone as far as describing their time believing in the “blueprint model” as being in bondage; such is the confusion, doubt, and second-guessing that it breeds in the Christian’s life.
The question, “Doesn’t God care what I do,” shows how powerful preconceptions can be. The assumption is: if God isn’t there planning out every detail of my life, then He isn’t interacting with me at all, nor does it matter to Him what I do.
God is interacting with believers (and non-believers) on a daily basis, what Christians need to do is come to a proper, Biblical understanding of the way God does work. Please refer back to my post The Work of the Holy Spirit for more info
Other than that, if we just take a moment to and calm down a little, it should be crystal clear that God cares deeply what we do with our lives, even if He is not personally directing the specifics of our lives on a regular basis. The moral will of God is an extensive, and Christians would say comprehensive, code of morality for the followers of God. Does God care if we steal? If we lie? If we are unfaithful to our spouse? Of course He does, and everyone instinctively knows this.
The real question is: Does God care about the non-moral decisions that we make? It is easiest to provide some examples:
Example: Employment – Does God care about what Job you take?
To a degree, yes. But also no. As a Christian, would God care if you decided that drug-dealing was the job for you? Of course. Not only is it criminal in this country, but such a job destroys lives and minds. So drug-dealing is out. What if you want to be an economist? What would God say about that? Is there anything wrong with such employment legally? No. Morally? Not that I can think of. Therefore, I feel safe in saying that being an economist is an acceptable line of work for a Christian.
Now that we have determined that it is alright for Christians, in general, to become economists, what about for you specifically? Does God care if you take up such a line of work?
That depends. Is this something you have adequate ability in? Has God gifted you in the areas of organization, mathematics, theory, research, and the like necessary to pursue such a career? If not, you should probably consider a different line of work.
Is the action of pursuing a career in economics a wise one, considering your condition right now? Maybe you need several years of schooling before such a job could be earned, and school is not a wise choice at the moment. Are there greater responsibilities that you are currently meeting that would have to be dropped to pursue such a career? Would such a career adversely impact time spent with your wife or children?
If the choice is moral, legal, wise, and you have the ability, the opportunity, and the desire, I would say that you have God’s permission to pursue that course of action. Your earthly father doesn’t want you to come to him for direction every time you face a decision, but is most honored by you when you begin making choices on your own that reflect the values and character he worked to teach you. Likewise, I believe that God wants us to mature to the point where we begin to make choices and decisions on our own that reflect His values and His heart. This is the essence of freedom in Christ, and necessary to continuing our sanctification.
Here’s some Biblical support for the positions I have been taking in this post:
Ephesians 5:15
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
Colossians 4:5
Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
Do these verses sound like exhortations to wait for a “word from the Lord” before we make a decision? Not at all, to my mind they sound very much like commands to act according to our wisdom.
Ok, so it looks I might have a case for stating that wisdom is adequate resource for making decisions, but where do I get off stating that personal preferences and desires should carry any weight in Godly decision making?
1 Corinthians 7:40
In my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is (single; this regarding the widow concerning whether she should remarry).
2 Corinthians 9:7
Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.
Romans 14:5
One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind.
Romans 14:22-23
The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
These passages all sound very much like God, through Paul, is letting us know that it is proper to consider personal happiness when facing decisions. I must point, of course, that personal happiness is the least important factor in decision making; if you are faced with a choice between an immoral choice that would make you happy and a moral choice that you’re not tickled about, you really have no choice at all, your way is clear.
Let me finish up with this: I have heard many people refer to James 4:13-14 to refute what I have been saying about planning and wisdom. But in doing so they forget Bible Study Rule #1: Never read a Bible verse. If they read the very next verse down (vs. 15) they would realize that James actually endorses the opinion I have been advocating:
James 4:13-15
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."
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