Three View of How God Guides Us

This is the second installment of How to determine God's Will. In James C. Petty's book, Step by Step, he lists three different views that different people in the church hold in this area. I'll list all three views and add some key points under each.

1) The Traditional View

* The most popular view
* God has a "specific and detailed plan for each Christian life. Guidance involves discerning that plan." (p.29)
* God's plan can be discerned by analyzing circumstances, spiritual prompting, inner voices, counsel, and peace of mind.
* God would never lead a Christian into sin.
* God wants us to His plan and want to reveal it to us if only we ask Him.
* God won't directly show us His plan so we must take great care in trying to discern it.

2) The Traditional Charismatic View

* Similar to the first one; we need to try to discern God's plan for our lives.
* God communicates directly with people, families, and churches to let them know His plan for them.
* God normally and clearly communicates with us in plain simple English.
* Happens through prophecy, dreams, and visions.
* "Each means of revelation that God used to give us the Scriptures is still available to individual Christians today." (p.33)

3) The Wisdom View

* " Although God does have an individual and specific plan for every Christian, this plan is strictly secret. God does not normally reveal anything about it to us. "(p.33)
* Guidance comes by God granting us divinely inspired wisdom.
* No need for direct words or to seek clues about God's plan.
* His guidance comes through the illumination of our hearts and minds by the Word.
* It's like turning a light on in a room. Once the lights are on you can walk comfortably around the room because it has been illuminated. God's Word is the light inside that room, without it you'd be lost.

So which view are you? Hopefully this gets ya'll thinking just a lil more about how to be finding our what God wants for you as you try to answer the myriad of questions that life brings; Where should I go to college?, What should I do with my life?, Will I ever find "the one"?, Which house should I buy?, Do these jeans make my butt look big?,or Should I move to Antarctica and be a short hand cook? There are lots of questions and regardless of which view above you are more inclined to, God is sovereign and will guide and direct your path. Do you believe that? :)