Gods Master Plan for Your Life - Research Paper Example

? Spiritual Discernment and Vocational Counseling In daily life, there are challenges and situations that cause people to make various choices and decisions concerning their lives. It is always vital however that when making such choices and decisions to use wisdom and focus on the will of God for their lives. This research paper begins its discussion by explaining how to make Godly decisions and choices through prayer. It also explores spiritual discernment through the wisdom approach, and also discusses my past and present experiences of discernment among other issues. Spiritual Discernment and Vocational Counseling In daily life, there are challenges and situations that cause people to make various choices and decisions concerning their lives. It is always vital however that when making such choices and decisions to use wisdom and focus on the will of God for their lives. In most cases, people have the tendency to guess whether or not they are in the will of God and if the choices being made are in line with His plan for their lives (Hinn, 2003). People always have the liberty to decide the path they desire to take so that they can get to the destination they are going when making both major and minor choices. In this case, even if they decide to pray or have faith in God or prudent guidance, they must make a choice and be self-assured that they will be satisfied and have harmony as well with their results. This paper aims at discussing various factors used in making decision that are in God`s will. Personal Position When making decisions, including career decisions in my day-to-day life, I put into consideration various decision-making factors. As a Christian, my faith makes me to be strong and solid; thus, I find it wise to seek Godly advice before I make any choices. As it is written in the bible that wherever there is no guidance, individuals tumble; however in the assembly of guidance counselor there is protection. According to this scripture, Godly counsel and wisdom assist in providing safety in the process of making decisions and choices in everyone`s life. The bible contains various scriptures that retell us to note the advice of the seniors at all times. This is because by listening to the advice or the counsel of the seniors, our thinking capacity becomes alert and expanded to put into consideration other potentials and other probable challenges. Therefore, I powerfully have the belief that the Lord talks to us through other individuals, and that is why the disciples were sent out so that they could converse with each other. Horton (2009) described various vital factors that are essentials in the process of making decisions. The decision-making factors that are very significant to me when making career decisions include praying for wisdom to enable me make Godly decisions. Accordingly, I like identifying the innermost peace from the Holy Spirit and referring to bible verses every time. I believe that entreaty is the advancement of being in the appearance of Divinity, and it is being in the position where personality is put aside, faith is increased, and then relevant request are made. During the time for prayer, I acknowledge my desires, accept humbleness, and ask God for his assistance. Prayer is having the chance to be in touch with God and also being in a position to confess our sins and communicating with God in the name of His son Jesus Christ who is our savior. According to studies, when a person prays, he or she demonstrates love, commitment to the ways of God, and shows a walk that permits him or her to take part in Godly things and thus maintain positive thoughts. In most case, prayer is like a basis, and thus we need to pray for strength, peace, joy, and love among others. Therefore, when making my career decisions, I like to pray for wisdom from in order for me to make decisions that are according to the perfect will of God in my life. Accordingly, another factor I put into consideration when making career decisions involves looking up for the wise counsel. Wise counsel involves seeking advice from those with knowledge or expertise in a certain field, people with spiritual maturity and wisdom, trustworthy people, and books, blogs or articles. However, it is important to learn how to differentiate amid trustworthy advice and bad advice. This is because the effects of the advice taken can have comprehensive impacts. Thus, deciding wisely amid different foundations of counsel is well worth the time. In addition, I also value consulting with bible verses for guidance during the process of decision making in my career. Bible verses always act as a guidebook and it comprises of various encouragements that creates room for the Holy Spirit to be at work in my life. Furthermore, I also like to consider personal needs and interests such as my strengths, talents and gifts, as well as abilities and then I try to link with the sense of my innermost peace from the Holy Spirit. Therefore, in the process of making career decisions in my life, these are some of the major factors that I always put into consideration. Centered on the aspects, the method to spiritual discernment I am probable to track as designated by Horton is the wisdom approach (Horton, 2009). This is because this approach to spiritual discernment supporters for a decision-making procedure that does not seek comprehensive unmediated direction from God. Instead, this approach declares that Christians should depend comprehensively on their God given intellectual capacities, intelligent counsel, as well as strong valuation of their strong point, aptitudes, as well as gifts. I am likely to use this approach because it put emphasis on the role of the bible as the main wisdom guidebook and a factor of the spiritual discernment procedure. Accordingly, my decision making process is based on the factors such as seeking the counsel of the wise, consulting the bible, depending on personal strength and abilities as created by God, and praying for wisdom in my career decisions. This approach emphasizes the value of all these factors, and that is the reason why I am most likely to use it for spiritual discernment. Past and Present Influences After making serious reflection concerning my life, there are various past and present factors that have influenced my approach to spiritual discernment. I was brought up in a Christian family where we used to fellowship from a catholic church. According to studies, discernment is the desire to follow the spirit of Jesus, who is available in our day-to-day life. During my childhood, I grew up in the feature and aptitude of discernment through faithfulness to discerning way of life that demanded trust and maturity through self-reflecting and prayer for wisdom. My family members valued and obeyed the ways of God and thus, I learned a lot about God from them. My past experiences I learnt that my actions speaks louder and that in order to let my life speak well for my personality, I needed to listen myself to know whether I was doing things regarding God`s will or not. Through such teaching, I have grown up knowing the importance of reflecting upon my life every time. I achieve this by reflecting upon my life in light of what I understand through my faith, seeking the perception of God, searching bible verses, praying for wisdom, as well as consulting the wise counsel. Therefore, through my choices I quite literally develop into a person I am today. Accordingly, as I continue to embrace spiritual discernment as my way of life, I come into contact with the development and axiological attitude of biblical wisdom toward discernment. I have come to learn that what my life says concerning God`s direction differs every time as I continue to mature. Practical Application Steps taken to help the client navigate the impasse In most cases, I would employ the use of decision making factors survey as a way in helping solving the issue the client faces in making the right choice in her career. This is because by using such factors in discussing with this client, I will help know that the point where God calls her to is the dwelling where her profound happiness and the world`s profound hunger come across. This discussion of these factors will enable the client to define between self-centered as well as god provided interests and abilities. Accordingly, it develops the chance to teach the way Jesus met the requirements of those around him and how Christians, as they make decisions concerning vocation and ministry chances, need to avoid the sin of mission. With such advices, the student will be in position to make the right decisions in choosing the major in her studies. Furthermore, it is vital that the client is given an overview regarding the discernment landscape in order to help the learner visualize the approaches in which Christians have sought and are seeking guidance from God. Through such an overview, the student will be able to know the right subject to choose as a major and if it in line with the will of God. Therefore, with a good comprehension of the major methods, the student will better know and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of every method as well as their religious reinforcements (Copeland, 2008). Having the view of God`s power demonstrates essential to the perceptions for discerning the will of God. Therefore, with such ideas and perceptions, the client will be in a better position of making the right decision concerning the major subject that is in the will of God. Another step that will be essential in this process includes helping the learner attain a healthy appreciation for the wisdom factor because God usually advises us to make tactical plans and also apply our gifts dependably. Finally, it will also be good to let the client learn the significance of seeking the guidance of the wise counsel in the process of choosing her major subject. This is because it is not good to avoid seeking advice from our elders, parents, as well as other wise and trustworthy people in the similar field (Lake, 2004). In addition, I will also advice the student to consult bible verses because it is through that the Holy Spirit be activated in our lives thus providing the necessary guidance concerning our decisions in all areas of lives including career areas. It is also be good to offer inspiration concerning spiritual formation for the students. Through such steps, I am sure that the client will have an easy time making the decision of her career without ant fear of losing out on God`s will. My personal position may influence the way I address the concerns of this client positively because I have applied such steps in my life and succeeded. Therefore, I am an example and when she accepts my guidance, I am sure she will not make the wrong choice that is against the will of God in her career life. Seeking the wisdom from God is nice things because God will never fail us when we pray with faith. In conclusion, people have the propensity to guess whether or not they are in the will of God and if the choices they are making are in line with His plan for their daily lives. People always have the right to decide the path they desire to take so that they can get to the target they are going when making both main and slight choices. In this paper, I have discussed my personal position concerning the various factors I put into consideration when making my career decisions. For instance, some of the factors discussed include involves looking up for the wise counsel. Wise counsel involves seeking advice from those with knowledge or expertise in a certain field, people with spiritual maturity and wisdom, trustworthy people, and books, blogs or articles. However, it is important to learn how to differentiate amid trustworthy advice and bad advice. In addition, praying for wisdom from God is also another factor discussed in details. The paper has all the relevant factors discussed in details as required. Accordingly, I also discussed various past and present factors that have influenced my spiritual discernment. Finally, the paper established some of the issues conversed by applying them essentially. This was through providing relevant steps in helping a student who had difficulty in choosing a major in her career fearing that she might make the wrong choice that is not in the will of God. References Copeland, G. (2008). God’s master plan for your life. New York: Putnam. Hinn, B. (2003). Your will, Lord, not mine: Discovering God’s plan for your life. Irving, Texas: Benny Hinn Ministries. Horton, D. (2009).Discerning Spiritual Discernment: Assessing Current Approaches for Understanding God’s Will”. New York, NY: Routledge. Lake, K. (2004). Understanding God’s will: How to hack the equation without formulas. Orlando: Relevant Books. Read More