Listening to God in Times of Choice

by Gordon T. Smith

All Christians yearn to live at the center of God's will. But how to discern his will is an art that eludes many of us. And the advice we get often conflicts. Some people tell us to look for a divine "blueprint" - the one perfect plan for our lives that we need to find. We are encouraged to search the Scriptures and hunt for signs, trying to uncover the map of our lives that God has drawn. Others have rejected the blueprint school of guidance in favor of the "wisdom school". With minds renewed by the teaching of Scripture, we are to develop the wisdom necessary to make smart choices. We are told not to expect that there is just one answer to God's will for every decision we face. Several are possible. The difficulty with both approaches, writes Gordon Smith, is that they minimize the presence and voice of God in times of choice. Instead, he argues for a third way. Smith suggests that we develop discernment as a spiritual discipline. By stressing the personal aspects of growing in our relationship with God, we can understand His will, not just in times of crisis but throughout our daily lives. This book provides no magic formulas, no recipes for guaranteed success - just insight, gleaned from centuries of lived Christian experience, that will guide and encourage you in the art of discerning God's will.

Genres: Christian, Christian Living, Prayer, Theology, God, Faith, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published February 1, 1997

About the author

Gordon T. Smith is the president of Ambrose University and Seminary in Calgary, Alberta, where he also serves as professor of systematic and spiritual theology. He is an ordained minister with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and a teaching fellow at Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia. He is the author of many books, including Courage and Calling, Called to Be Saints, Spiritual Direction, and Consider Your Calling.

Reviews

[Jeremy Landon Goertzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a lot of wisdom and has pointed things out to me that were incorrect about the way I thought of discernment.

My favorite quotes:

"But we must go further. A person of humility will have another quality that is essential for discernment: a true assessment and appreciation of their strengths, talents and abilities as well as their limitations. As I have already suggested, the call of God and his direction will not violate who we are; on the contrary, it will reflect our strengths, abilities and even desires. This true measure of our selves is part of what it means to be humble."
Page 90

"Self-knowledge includes self-acceptance—honestly owning who we are. If we do not accept who we are, and more, actually like who we are, we will probably not be able to meet God freely and respond to that encounter. We will always be attempting to be someone other than who we are; we will be living a lie. Thomas Merton is particularly insightful in this respect. He suggests that only as I uncover what I really want, rather than what I think I want, can I uncover who I really am. What I want is significant to God, Merton insists, because I am not made as a robot; I am not merely God's servant, but God's friend."
Page 91
John 15:1-17

"We hypoctitically assume that God's good and perfect will for us is something that we do not want to do, and that the more we dislike it, the more likely it is he will eant us to do it!"
Page 92

"Those of the blueprint school in effect believe that God has a perfect plan or blueprint for each person. This approach to understanding guidance concludes that there are three "wills" of God: his sovereign will for history; his moral will, in terms of good and evil; and his personal will for each individual.

...

But there are many problems with viewing divine guidance in this manner. First, there is the question of which kinds of decisions are to be made in this way and which are not. Does the blueprint apply to all decisions, including every minor decision of the day? If not, to what decisions does it apply? Does God never say, "It's up to you"? Does God have a perfect plan for each detail of our life? If so, we could spend all our time trying to figure out this plan rather than living!"
Second, we need to consider how others are affected by what we sense to be the will of God for our lives. We may think God's plan for us is one thing, but what if another person affected by that "will of God" does not agree? What happens when God directs me to marry someone who then responds by marrying someone else? Or what happens when I think God is telling me to attend s particular university but I am denied admission?
The blueprint view does not take sufficient account of the whole variety of variables that make up our lives. The biggest variable may well be our own failures. If we make a mistake and fail to find the plan of God for our life, or if we follow it but someone else fails to perform as we think they should in accordance with this revealed plan, where does that leave us? Out of the will of God?
Finally, what concerns me most about this perspective is the implicit view of God. Is God a determiner of our lives? Do we really have sufficient biblical evidence to conclude that God has a plan for each life—a plan that is predetermined? God seems to be much more dynamic in his relationship with his children. The blueprint approach seems to focus primarily on the will of God rather than on God himself. Christians are often left trying various techniques and methods to find this will, and these methods often come dangerously close to a kind of superstitious divination."
Page 98-100

"Friesen rejects any implication that we are like chess pieces on a chessboard and that God merely moves us around. He suggests rather that we mature in faith and God gives us real wisdom with which to act. From this perspective, the prayer for wisdom in James 1 is wisdom to make a decision, not a prayer to uncover a prepackaged divine choice."
Page 100-101

"We pray better when we are rested. We are embodied souls. We are physical beings, and therefore how we are feeling physically invariably affects our capacity to hear God."
Page 119

"Yet another psychological or emotional block is anger. Anger and an unforgiving spirit will always block discernment. Anger itself is not a sin. It could well be a true and right response to a wrong committed against you or someone you love. But anger, of its very nature, limits our ability to hear and respond to God. And so the apostle urges us not to let the sun go down on our anger (Eph 4:26)."
Page 122

"Some view God as a grand chess player who moves people around to suit his purposes. I am increasingly convinced that this pragmatist view of God is not true to God's self-revelation in Scripture. Though it is true that God calls us to himself so that we may be a blessing to others, this ministry to others is itself essential to our well-being and joy. Our vocation is always true to who we are. The desires of our hearts are important to God; he implants them in our hearts."
Page 125

"Discerning communities believe that each Christian has the capacity to respond personally to God. While new believers or young people may need a greater measure of guidance, we must be cautious and realize that our goal is never control. Maturity in Christian faith requires each person learn to listen to God for himself or herself."
Page 130-131

"This does not mean that we cannot make suggestions; it is merely that we probably serve one another best when we avoid using the word should—as in "You should be here" or "You should do that." We can suggest to one another the need to consider a particular possibility—but always in a spirit of openness and freedom."
Page 133

"One of the ways we encourage is through empathetic listening. This is often the greatest gift we give another—the gift of not speaking. Frequently when someone speaks about their circumstances, the problems they are facing or the choices they feel compelled to make, we feel we need to come up with a wise word or some kind of good counsel. But the first thing that is needed is an attentive ear."
Page 135

"In the end, though, it is important to recognize that the act of listening is not merely a means of getting the information you need to give wise counsel; in itself it is an act of service that brings hope and so makes discernment possible."
Page 136

"The whole of the Christian experience is lived from a position of trust in the living God. But it is at the confusing moments, when things do not seem right or true or good, that our trust is tested. And nothing will test our faith like difficulty, especially when we do not understand the need for pain—when it makes no sense to us."
Page 139

"This perspective is based on the simple assumption that we must distinguish between God's permissive will and God's perfect will. God may allow suffering and difficulty. But this is not God's perfect will for us. God does not delight in our suffering, but God will allow difficulty as the means by which he fulfills his good and perfect will in us and in the world. Therefore we can freely distinguish and recognize that not everything that happens in the world reflects the perfect will of God. Many things happen that are wrong and evil and a violation of God's will. The fact that they happen does not make them God's will. God allowed them, but he does not necessarily choose them.
But in any circumstance we can find joy and be grateful. We do not thank God for all things, for God is only the author of good."
Page 143-144

[Josiah Trigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best contemporary books that I’ve read to date, on the spiritual practice of discernment. It’s clear, relatable, biblical, and easy to digest. Plus, Smith anchors many of his thoughts to ancient Christian spirituality, something I have a deep appreciation for.

[Ayla Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a helpful and practical resource for Christians wanting to grow in discernment. Smith writes in a way that is easy to understand, convicting when it needs to be, and insightful as he points us to God and understanding God’s will

[Camilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book mostly helpful, sometimes overly generic and a bit condescending. But I liked it more than I disliked it.

[Stephen David Munley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read many books on discernment and listening to God, but I found this book to be helpful in my understanding of decision making and in my ability to take practical steps.

[K.J. Adan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gentle reminder that God is God

This is a short but effective reminder that discernment is not some psychological skill or trick of divination, but the act of mature decision making steeped in prayer and scripture and wisdom.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

How does one hear God?

I think that Gordon Smith did a good job talking about discernment and our receptivity to God. I was distracted in the kindle version by poor editing.

[Sarah Knox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anything by Gordon T. Smith hits the spot!!

[Maria Hrickova · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Viktorija · Rating 5 out of 5]

great

It’s a very great book!
I can recommend it to anyone who seeks to sig deeper into the topic of discernment.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I was 18 I read a book on discerning God's will that was a gift from a mentor of mine. The book was Garry Friesen's Decision Making and the Will of God. That book criticized a view of discernment which stated that God's will provided an exhaustive blueprint for people's lives and that we were responsible for discerning the details of what God was trying to tell us about everything. Instead, Friesen presented what he termed the "Wisdom view" in which we responsibly followed God's moral will as outlined in the Bible and pray for wisdom (which God gives-cf. James 1:2-4) in making other decisions. Friesen's goal was to free people from a view which he felt was paralyzing and unhealthy. I came later to feel that the view that he criticized was a straw-man, but at the time it was my straw-man. I accepted Friesen's critiques and acknowledged that the pursuit of righteousness and wisdom would likely keep you with in God's will, but I was also dissatisfied with the way he didn't leave room for the Spirit's particular guidance.

Gordon Smith's little book on discerning God's Will does a remarkable job of drawing on the Christian tradition, some of the insights of the wisdom view, while focusing on our cultivating our ears to hear the voice of God in the midst of our decision making process. It is a simple book with some wise advice. It is accessible.

People of a more charismatic bent on discernment may be disappointed with elements of this but on the whole it was quite good at synthesizing the protestant and catholic traditions of discernment.

[Sagely · Rating 5 out of 5]

For more than a year our congregation has been a season of discernment. In our denomination no word seems to be bandied about more than "discernment." I've used the word a lot on Sunday mornings and in committee meetings.

But how do we go about "discerning"? What should I expect when I enter into discernment? What steps should I take to "discern"?

Gordon T. Smith's LGTC offers good answers to these questions.

In August a pastor friend recommended this volume to me. I didn't end up ordering it until November. I wish I'd ordered it nine months ago. Smith's work is just what our congregation, our denomination, and I myself have needed.

Smith sketches out an alternative to both the "blueprint" model of God's will and the wisdom model. Smith convincingly presents God's will as neither a moment-by-moment instruction manual for our lives nor a semi-deist, handsoff picture where God expects us to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps of our own good sense.

Instead, Smith encourages us to listen for the voice of God. He problematizes what we often take to be God's voice, puts up safeguards against the all too common abuses of spiritual knowledge. But he holds out the possibility that God speaks to us personally, directly in our times of need.

To me this is a brave and true, precarious yet hopeful understanding of God's will. It rings true to my congregational experience over the past twelve months. I'm thankful for someone who can give words to the messy but hopeful way we try to discern what is best, perfect, complete, holy, well-pleasing--the will of God.

[Tyler Parris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated some of the points in this book, there is some good spiritual wisdom in it, and there is a great bibliography for those seeking more on spiritual discernment. However, I left the book feeling no closer to understanding discernment than when I came to it, in large part, I think, because the author shoots his arguments in the foot with some poor content organization and failure to clearly define his central points. For example, in a section referring to another author's work on the distinction between basic and instrumental decisions, he summarizes what is meant by basic decisions but doesn't correspondingly define instrumental decisions. Another example is that on the one hand, Gordon argues that "to discern is to distinguish the voice of God from the noise of this world and the false witness of the Evil One" and on the other hand argues that discernment is not a choice between good and evil but two good options. Which is it?

I appreciated Gordon's points about making decisions in light of your whole life, not just in a work or other isolated context. Also about including others who know you well when you're wrestling with a decision. I even like the way he challenges some of the conventional wisdom on discernment, such as simply making decisions based on "open doors."

Overall, the apparent gaps in thinking (or editing) left me wanting more.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discernment is one of those things that I find very difficult yet I find myself constantly in situations where discernment is necessary. Although you'll never find a book that gives you a step by step formula on how to discern (or should be very wary if you do come across one), often Christian books are just full of fluffly mantras and Christianese. "You need to lay your burdens at the foot of the cross". "You need to stand on a firm foundation and be rooted in faith". Although that's all good and great and probably very true, what the heck does that mean? I appreciate that although this book is about a topic that may sometimes be very foreign, it is more than just fluff and is incredibly helpful and practical. Some of the things covered in the book might even be common sense, but who doesn't need to be reminded that God loves us and forgives us and not walking in that truth might prevent us from hearing Him?

[Adam Shaeffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's clear, concise, and presents a solid model of how we as Christians ought to live and make decisions. We don't look for "open doors" and we don't just rely on wisdom. We wait, we listen for the Spirit, we pray, we use our wisdom. In short, we discern. I especially appreciate Smith's Epilogue in which he clearly states that in order for discernment to "work," we must be open to God. We must be receptive. He writes:

"I must be open to God--radically, the the depth and root of my being. BUt it is as myself that I am open to God--all that I am. I do not offer him what I wish I was, but what I am; I do not offer him something I compare with others, but only what I have."

Good words. True words.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't mind the cover of this book, it is very insightful for those to understand where God's will and their will meet in terms of discernment and vocation.

Here's a quote for a sample:
"Even in similar circumstances God will lead one person or group in one direction and another person or group another way. You are seeking what is best for you in your situation at this time and in response to the call of God on your life. Discernment is profoundly personal and individual. There is no tidy, neat manual on how to live the Christian life, applicable to all people in all circumstances.”
— Gordon T. Smith, Listening to God in Times of Choice, p.32-33

If that leaves you with more questions, I'd suggest buying a copy of this book!

[Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

clear-headed, well-rounded, in-depth practical wisdom

Smith offers a holistic set of applied wisdom that taps all of our cognitive resources: heart, mind-intellect-memory, soul, spirit, relationship with God, personality, history, circumstance, relationship with a community of wise and mature decision-makers... He clearly lays out subtle yet important slippery areas and makes this a great handbook for those who treasures decision-making as an important responsibility. I will read his other books on vocation and calling.

[Jason Larsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book to read either before, during, or after life decisions are made. Take your time, highlight, and take notes as you read. You'll also do well to process the content with others - especially a spouse.

[Charlie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't get much out of it. The text didn't add to the chapter titles much that wasn't already obvious. For instance, stress gets in the way of discernment: Yep, but don't need a chapter discussing it.

[Mark Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good guide to something most everyone struggles to understand...hearing God in times of choice. Recommended by a mentor at L'Abri Canada...good book.

[Michelle Gillespie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Balanced perspective. Encouraging and thoughtful. I have read this several times when faced with a big decision.