How can we discern God's will when facing difficult leadership decisions? Setting the Scene: A Hard Command “Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live! Why should this city become a ruin?” (Jeremiah 27:17) • Judah’s leaders wanted freedom, yet God’s clear word—spoken through Jeremiah—was submission to Babylon. • Discerning His will began with accepting the plain sense of what He had already said, even when it clashed with national pride or popular counsel. Listening to Truth Over Charisma • False prophets (Jeremiah 27:9–10) sounded persuasive, but their message contradicted God’s prior warnings (Deuteronomy 18:20–22). • Test every counsel against Scripture’s consistent teaching. If the Bible speaks directly, no personality, majority vote, or emotion overrides it. • Cross-check: 1 John 4:1; Acts 17:11. Submitting to God’s Sovereign Plan • God was using Babylon as His instrument of discipline (Jeremiah 25:9). Refusal to submit would bring ruin; obedience would preserve life. • Leadership decisions must factor in God’s bigger redemptive purposes, not just immediate comfort. • Echoed in Romans 13:1–2—authority is appointed; resisting rightful authority can equal resisting God. Practical Steps to Discernment Today • Search the Word first: Proverbs 3:5–6; Psalm 119:105. • Pray for wisdom: James 1:5 promises it without reproach. • Seek godly counsel that aligns with Scripture: Proverbs 11:14. • Examine motives—humility over self-preservation: Philippians 2:3–4. • Observe providential circumstances but interpret them through biblical lenses, not feelings alone. • Move forward in obedient faith; clarity often follows commitment (John 7:17). Guardrails for Leaders Under Pressure • Prioritize obedience over optics—Jeremiah was isolated yet right. • Measure success by faithfulness, not immediate results (1 Corinthians 4:2). • Keep eternity in view; temporary loss can be long-term gain when it aligns with God’s plan (Hebrews 11:24–26). • Maintain accountability; invite others to speak Scriptural truth even when it stings (Galatians 2:11-14). Finishing Thoughts: Living and Leading Under God’s Hand When hard choices come, God’s will is rarely found in the loudest voice or the quickest escape, but in steady submission to His revealed Word, humble prayer, and courageous obedience. Like Judah’s leaders, we face the crossroads of pride versus surrender; life and ruin still hinge on whose voice we finally heed. |
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