The concept of God's specific will is the idea that God has something or things that he wants you to do. It could be a task or a role. God wanted Abram to sacrifice his son Isaac (or did he) which is an example of a task. For a role you could look at Jesus - to be the sinless saviour or Paul to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Now, the range of what you could believe about specific will is huge - ranging from God has a task he wants you to do, to several tasks (like points on a map), to the exact path of your life all mapped out.
Personally I find it a little to navel-gazy to analyse each and every action I take all day wondering whether it is God's will! I ask myself, is it God's will that I live in constant anxiety and concern to be perfect? and the answer I get is no! We have already established that none of us even keeps all the commandments let alone other descriptions of perfect behaviour so instead of wondering whether we have been perfect we can simply know we will not have been.
That doesn't mean there isn't room for reflection and soul-searching however most of life should consist of living and then we will have something to reflect on.
What I do believe is that God gives us a place in life where we can step up to serve him in a way that fits with our personality, strengths, weaknesses and accumulated experience. It is still our choice to do so, however whatever choice you make can be lasting. You can choose to go on a roller coaster for instance, but cannot choose to get off halfway through. This is a concept of freewill that I have not often heard talked about, but I think it is vital to understand that free choice does mean we are in total control it just means that we are responsible and we can start off and end processes in our life by our choices.
4 comments:
I think it is vital to understand that free choice does mean we are in total control it just means that we are responsible and we can start off and end processes in our life by our choices.
This is a very important concept. Free will doesn't mean ability to do all, just ability beyond determinism.
I tend to think that God may intend more specificity in our lives than we realise. He may do this anyway: he may guide those who want guiding though they are unaware of his doing so.
However I think God's moral will for us is higher than his directional will. God may well not guide you directionally while you refuse to repent of your sin he is calling you away from.
moral vs directional will
you could argue these are the same thing if you say you have faith but I show you I have faith by my deeds.
one of our difficulties is that we rank our sins according to our church and surrounding culture, so we might put saying the f word up higher than gluttony or gossip? The concept then of God withholding direction over a moral issue would have to be compared to God's ranking of the issues. Would he be more keen for a deeply flawed christian to follow his direction to serve the poor or for them to wait until they are 'better'.
If there is an issue with hardening your heart to God, then yes I think that could precipitate a stand-off.
I don't think we agree on what I called directional will.
Moral will is to do right, whether that be a big issue like murder or a small issue like swearing or smoking.
I think there are specific things God would have us do that are not sin in and of themselves. So I could ask God about what job I do, or where I live, or who I marry. Working, living and marrying are not sins. But God may have a specific preference for you. God had a preference for Saul to be king. Being or not being a king is not sinful. Refusing to do something God asks is sinful, but this is an issue of obedience, not an issue of refraining from immorality.
So these things I call "directional will." Some argue that God's directional will for our lives is large. If we will ask he will gives us much direction. Others will argue that so long we refrain from sin we can do as we like. I tend to be closer to the former. But whatever your view, my point was that moral will is higher than directional will, ie. more important. It means little to say I became a teacher like you suggested God, while being a thief.
Also I think that immorality can be a hindrance to hearing God's directional will.
hmmmm, this is the essence of what I wanted to get into, I don't think refraining from sin as a blank canvas is the way we are made. To whom much is given, much is expected. The parable of the talents suggests to me a certain level of responsibility to do the directional thing... not doing it could be considered disobedience?! What do you reckon?
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