“ I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” John 17:15
Christians are called to be “In the world, but not of the world.” John 15:19 says “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own: but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” Most of the time, the decisions a Christian should make or the actions they should take are obvious from scripture. Many issues are clearly outlined in the Bible as being in line with the teachings of Christ, or not in line with His teachings. What about those issues that are not so clear? Some situations in this world seem to exist in the “gray”, instead of being “black and white”, wrong and right. How does a Christian decide how to respond to these less than clear issues? I think there are three tools that God has given us to help us navigate tricky issues during our time in this temporal life.
First, there is prayer. Few of us hear an audible voice, but in my experience, most of the time when I take an issue to God in prayer, an answer will appear, although not necessarily in the form I am expecting. We are told “Do not worry about anything, instead pray about everything” in Philippians 4:6.
The second tool God has given us to sharpen our discernment is the Bible itself. Even when a specific problem or issue does not seem to be addressed in the Bible, often wisdom can be found if you take a deep contemplative dive into His Word.
Finally, Christians have their brothers and sisters in Christ to turn to. “As Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” Proverbs 27:17. One reason that it is important to belong to a community of believers is the access you have to other Christian thinkers who can help you figure out the tough questions.
As we mature in the faith and progress in our sanctification, what God wants us to do in all circumstances will become more clear. He has given us the means to discern His will while we are in this life through prayer, studying scripture, and seeking wisdom from fellow believers.