I discovered short-term mission trips when a missionary visited my church many years ago. Hearing him speak of his work and ministry in South America stirred within me a burning desire to volunteer. The idea of spending a summer in another country to serve the Lord captivated me.
But logistical obstacles and risks were standing in my way. I wasn’t sure if these were challenges to be overcome by faith or signs that it wasn’t God’s will. After the presentation, I approached the missionary to explain my situation. When I asked how I could know if God wanted me to go, he replied, “If it’s God’s will, you will have peace about it.”
For quite some time, I accepted that as a valid, even biblical way to discern God’s will. Like many Christians, I had learned God has a hidden plan for my life and that feelings of peace were one of many methods to discern it. In Decision Making and the Will of God, Gary Friesen critiques this approach of seeking personal guidance and presents an alternative view rooted in Scripture. The book stems from Friesen’s early struggles to find God’s will, and his eventual understanding that the prevailing teachings on the subject presented problems and led to further confusion.
God’s Will is not a Tightrope
Friesen begins by critiquing what he calls the “Traditional View” of God’s will. According to this view, God has a specific secret plan for everyone beyond what is in Scripture. And it’s our job to discover and follow it. If not, we might live a second-best version of God’s plan. Confirmation comes through an “inner sense of peace and outward (successful) results of the decision” (35).
The traditional view encourages various subjective methods to find God’s will, such as reading signs, relying on impressions, and putting out fleeces. But as Friesen points out, Scripture never teaches these methods to receive guidance.
He writes, “The absence of indisputable examples of the traditional view’s approach to decision making is striking. In the Bible, no believer asks, ‘What is God’s individual will for me in this matter?’ Much of the vocabulary and many of the concepts in the traditional presentation are absent from the Bible. One does not read of the ‘specific will,’ ‘center of God’s will,’ ‘right decision,’ ‘putting out a fleece,’ or even ‘finding God’s will’” (48).
Friesen also highlights some problems that result from this view, such as uncertainty, immaturity, and passivity. One struggle I find prevalent both in the church and in my life is paralysis—an avoidance of deciding because of fear of stepping outside of God’s will.
Take Jim Elliot, for example. He waited years to marry Elisabeth Elliot, as both of them were waiting for explicit confirmation that it was God’s will for them to marry. But as Elisabeth later understood, God’s will is not a tightrope we must walk perfectly or risk falling off. It’s a wide road that allows us freedom to make decisions based on God’s revealed wisdom.
The Way of Wisdom
As an alternative to the traditional view of making decisions, Friesen presents the Way of Wisdom. This view teaches that God’s will, as revealed in Scripture, is sufficient for guiding our lives.
The wisdom view has four key principles: “Where God commands, we must obey. Where there is no command, God gives us freedom (and responsibility) to choose. Where there is no command, God gives us wisdom to choose. When we have chosen what is moral and wise, we must trust the sovereign God to work all the details for good” (217).
Coming from the traditional view, I found it slightly scary to learn that God gives us freedom to choose. There is a kind of comfort in believing God has already mapped out every aspect of your life. I feel safer in my choices when I think I’m on a “God-ordained” path. But Friesen reassures us that even when God gives us freedom, he still gently guides us.
He writes, “The ultimate source of the wisdom needed in decision making is God. Accordingly, we are to ask him to provide what we lack. God mediates his wisdom to us through his word, our personal research, wise counselors, and the applied lessons of life” (183).
One area that initially confused me was how God’s sovereignty fits into this model. If God declares the end from the beginning, then surely he must have some say in our choices. Friesen acknowledges that God indeed has a hidden sovereign will. However, Scripture doesn’t instruct us to discover it. Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
In other words, God’s sovereign will for our lives is none of our business. Our role is to trust that he will work out everything for our good (Romans 8:32).
Maturing in Decision Making
Making decisions can be daunting, especially those with significant impact, such as whom to marry, or what career to pursue. It’s natural to desire God’s approval before taking the next step. But that’s not how God leads us.
Just as parents want their children to mature and make responsible decisions based on what they have been taught, God desires that we grow in wisdom and make informed choices based on the Bible. Decision Making and the Will of God is an excellent resource to help believers grow in this area.
At 526 pages, it’s comprehensive—Friesen leaves no stone unturned as he explores everything Scripture says about God’s will. The one downside is that the book can feel repetitive because of its length.
I picked up this book during a season when I was wrestling with a tough decision, and it provided the clarity and guidance I needed. If you’re struggling with a significant choice or want to grow in how you approach decisions as a follower of Christ, I highly recommend it.
Grace and peace to you!
