There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1
"How will we know when to act, when to wait? How will we know when it is our time to lead rather than our time to follow? Discernment calls us to spiritual understanding but also to action." Henri Nouwen
What does discernment mean and how do I apply it to my faith journey? Some of the very questions Nouwen identified above calls me to explore discernment. How do I know when to wait? How do I wait? When is waiting just avoiding action? When does following become the easy answer? What if stepping out in action is not God's purpose for this season of life? How can the soul discern God's purpose anyway? The answers are myriad. Perhaps somewhat of a paradox, the path of discernment can be both clouded by uncertainty and fueled by possibility.
In the weeks to come, I will be leading a Women’s Bible Study at my church on the book of Ecclesiastes. Among other references, we will be using Life Under the Sun by Hannah Anderson (Lifeway). This study can help us examine where we are in the process of finding God's purpose for whatever season of living. Of all the unknowns, this truth remains: God has a plan, a specific plan for every person. God desires us to know His plan for our lives and gives us not only the insight to find the purpose but also equips for the chosen task. Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." God will reveal the best plan for our lives, the best purpose for our energies, while we frequently settle for the better way. Let's seek His purpose in this season, whatever that may individually mean. As I share some insights in the weeks to come, hope you follow along! ~dho
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