Common Myths About God's Will

The Tribal Council at the deacons' board...

Common Myths About Divine Guidance
by Paul Stevens

1. That God has a wonderful plan for your life (there is only one way to do His will)
2. That God wants to make the decision for you
3. That the best way to find your way is by asking for a sign
4. That God leads mainly by supernatural signs and prophetic messages
5. That God’s will is hard to find
6. That what God wants cannot be something you find pleasure in
7. That you should do what others think is best for them
8. That the expression of your personal mission remains constant through your life

THE PURITAN CONTRIBUTION – William Perkins, A Treatise on Callings

Callings are part of God’s created order, a means of serving God and sustaining God’s world through supporting oneself, one’s family and the commonwealth.

As soon as one discovers faith in Christ he or she should be taught to discover their calling

Each person has a general calling (to invoke the name of Christ and follow as a disciple) and a particular calling (the unique path of life by which you serve God and the commonwealth)

Parents should help their children discover their calling

There is an equality of callings
If a person does not judge his particular calling as the best of all callings he or she should not yield to discontentment, as did Absolom, the sons of Zebedee and Cain

The chief cause of vocation mismatch is “the lust of the spirit” (Perkins)

Repenting if necessary of the wrong reasons for entering a calling and remaining for the right reasons.

Resisting the temptation to covetousness by labouring to see our particular situations as the providence of God.

Seeking the sanctification of both the work and the worker by the Word of God and prayer.

Turning our affections from this world and setting our mind on heaven

Persisting in our callings by pruning our lives of selfish ambition and impatience
Being accountable to God on the last day

See “Vocational Conversion: An Imaginary Puritan-Baby Boomer Dialogue,” Crux, Vol XXXVII, No 4 (December 2001),2-8.