Discerning God’s Will

Discerning God’s will is no easy task. Sometimes God puts up roadblocks and detours to help us reach our final destination. I found that to be the case when I was trying to decide which seminary to attend. During this decision-making time, roadblocks and unexpected alternatives helped the process of elimination.

Through a series of "hedges," God began to show me why attending Dallas Theological or Master’s Seminary was not the best choice for my young family, though they were my desired destinations. There was a seminary only a few hours away, but that didn’t fulfill my dreams. But God was hedging me in through a number of roadblocks and, for a change, I was observing and listening. So, against my personal preference, I decided that the more local destination would be the best option for my family and me. And it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. What an incredible theological education I received, and what a great place to raise my family!

A story that helped me to discern God’s will at that time was The Hedge of Thorns. It teaches that God might use a hedge of thorns to keep us on the right path. It also can act as a safety net of protection. In Hosea 2:6, God uses a hedge of thorns to keep a wayward wife from following her own path: “Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths.”

Recognizing the hedges in our lives as coming from the hand of God serves a dual purpose. It helps us not only to discern God’s will, but also to keep us from the path of sin and the memories of regret. May our ears be alert and our eyes attentive to God’s leading in each of our lives for the steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; for though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. ~Psalm 37:23