Guidance

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.

Acts 15:28

We can sometimes feel like seeking the will of God is impossible. That it needs a miraculous sign or a prophetic word. God still speaks to us in that way, but scripture also shows people who walk closely with Him gather to talk, pray and reach a decision on the grounds that it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to them.

The basics for this practice each week are the same though we’ll be thinking about guidance in different areas of our lives.

Week 1: Personal Guidance

God is speaking to us about who we are, what we do and where we do it. That’s not to say that is the only path for us to follow and that if we somehow miss it our lives are wasted but that He has created each of us with a purpose that we get to express. Michael Patterson has created a way of understanding this that leads us in thinking about our Soul (what we were made for) our Role (what we do to express it) and Context (where we express it ie at work, home, a particular neighbourhood or parish). It can bring some helpful structure to discernment that allows us to be led by Jesus more fully.

This week, prayerfully consider and reflect on the questions below. You might find it helpful to read and meditate on the passages of scripture and talk to your huddle about it too

Soul – Purpose

What is the contribution I want to make to my family, church and community?

Who am I connecting and building relationships with?

What do I see in the world makes me angry, upset, happy or delighted?

Role – Activity

How does what I do already express my soul?

Is there a way I could change this so it more fully expresses it?

Is there something new I could do that would give me a fresh way of expressing it?

Context – Place

Where am I being led to express these ideas? Is it in a fixed place or context or more generally?

Who else shares this?

What's the next step to starting something new or altering what I currently do?