What On Earth Are You Doing? (For Heavens' Sake?)
I was reading the parable of the talents recently - you know the one where the guy decides simply to hide what he was given since he knows the Master is exacting. It hit me differently this time. The Master did not give clear instructions; he just said to do something with what they were given.
So, the question may not be "What should I do?" but "What have I been given to do something with?" Food for thought about choices!
Perhaps we/I make too big a deal about hearing from the Holy Spirit to discern next steps?
Is it fear that I didn't hear clearly that holds me back?
What if God simply wants me to do something with what I have been given?
This begs the question - what have I been given?
Here are some thoughts I came up with - we have all been given certain personality traits, interests, strengths (and weaknesses), relationships, resources, intellectual capabilities, emotional awareness, and more.
And now I have choices. I can wait for a "sign" to do something, I can try things, I can pray for discernment. As I consider this all and think of that parable, I feel compelled to worry less about doing the "wrong" thing. I think maybe I need to "give things a go" and see what happens.
Many of you have heard me talk about pendulums before - where there are two ways to look at something. and then excesses of both those ways that are not healthy. In this case, I think the healthy middle would be something like:
/Discerning timing & Trying things\
The outsides would be:
Waiting for a sign/ \ Flippantly doing anything
Which do you tend toward?
Good Coaching questions can help people choose well. Here are a few you could use for yourself or to help others.
- Where could you get ideas for what could be done with what you have been given?
- How will you decide how to invest your talents or treasures?
- What is holding you back - is it more fear or wisdom?
- Are you waiting for a "sign" when God has given you a "talent" and is expecting you to do something with it?
- Is there a baby step you could take toward a goal to see if it could work out?
- How will you know if you are just playing it safe when you need to step out on the water?
- How will you keep from flippantly moving from one idea to the next?
This list, and questions like them, help people learn to discern and move forward in their faith journey.
Good coaching helps grow disciples who are choosing their next steps well.
Our book, Traction, helps individuals, couples, or teams choose goals and make plans for them to happen.
We also offer coach training in video form, or life coach certification, that help you take you discipleship making skills to next levels!
I'd love to hear your thoughts! Let us know your pendulum edge tendency - would be more to wait for a clear sign, or to just jump in without much thought?