J. I. Packer is one of the Evangelical Church's leading theologians. I first "met" Packer through his classic work, Knowing God. I read it as a relatively young Christian. His insights into the nature of God and the implications of those insights for daily living have stuck with me for some 35 plus years. In one of his most recent books, Guard Us, Guide Us, Packer discusses what he calls "holy hunches." Please take a moment to consider his thoughts on this crucial matter:
"At the heart of living is decision-making. First a warning: Bad decision-making can take the form of following impressions - hunches masquerading as messages from God. 'I feel' is a red-flag phrase in this matter of guidance; self-proclaimed holy hunches can be a source of real danger. True, our Lord does indeed sometimes gently nudge his sheep in one direction or the other - particularly those who know him well and are used to recognizing his voice within. But this is less the norm than many people assume, and it is not the place to start when seeking guidance from God."
"Healthy decision-making isn't a matter of thinking what we want to think, and then acting as if it were true. It isn't a matter of following our feelings, although if, by the grace of God, we make wise decisions for the living out our life, good feelings and even joy regularly follow. But the wise Christian seeking God's guidance doesn't start with impressions and subjective fantasies. Wise Christians start with the written Word of God, which they receive as their guidebook, as from the hand of Jesus Christs himself. We make our decision in the light of what Scripture actually says and then, following on from that, in the light of wisdom that comes to us as we soak ourselves in God's Word. The Word and wisdom: these are the first two basic resources for good decision-making, the activity that promotes and sustains true spiritual health."
Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj
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