Dr Paul Allen

Every Christian I have ever met is interested in and desires to please God by living according to His will. When it comes to personal decision-making, especially seemingly significant, life-affecting decisions (“Is this God’s will for my marriage partner?” “Is it God’s will for me to accept this job offer?”), we want God to give us His counsel, advice, and direction.  There is certainly nothing wrong with that. When we face tough decisions, we want to make an appointment with God, sit down across from Him, explain our situation and the decision we face, and then sit back and listen, having Him tell us exactly what decision to make. Or—maybe even more honestly—we want God to decide for us so we won’t have to. The question is, does God direct us when making personal decisions, and how can I find that guidance if so? Or, can I know God’s will for me in matters not explicitly spelled out in the Scriptures? While we cannot know God’s infallible will about anything except that revealed i...

Relief and confidence often immediately follow when we’ve finally made a tough decision. After spending days, weeks, or maybe even months gathering information, listening to counsel, and processing with the Lord in prayer, we’ve finally come to the decision. We’ve signed the job contract, placed the down payment on the home, or gone through the church membership class. While I wish I could say those moments of relief on the other side of decision-making steadily remain, they’re often overshadowed by an enemy: fear. “What if” questions pop into our minds at the most inopportune times. What if I chose to become a member at the wrong church? What if I joined the wrong sorority or chose the wrong major? What if I was missing a very important piece of information when I made my decision? What if I thought I was listening to the Lord’s guidance, but I was really chasing the approval of my trusted advisors? Fearful Frames Fear steals focus from God’s ability and wisdom, wrongfully placing a m...