My notes after learning about discernment from Boundless

Principled Discernment in the Gray Areas of Life:

1. Imitate God Ephesians 5:1
   1. When faced w/ a decision in a gray area, use God’s standard. Remember the goal of discernment is to make us more like the Father who saved us.
2. Realize my sinful heart can deceive me Jeremiah 17:9-10
   1. Focusing on issues instead of motives. (i.e. “There’s nothing wrong with___” instead of “What’s my motive in doing this?”)
   2. Justifying myself b/c of good intentions or perceived maturity. (“I’m mature enough, I can handle it.”)
   3. Questioning God’s standard. (“God will just forgive me.” “The Lord won’t mind.”)
   4. More comfortable with confusion than clarity. (“I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing even if I’m not sure if it’s right—it’s easier than stopping to think about it.”)
3. Think biblically 2 Timothy 3:16-17
   1. In these gray matters God wants to draw us into a relationship w/ Him. He wants to whisper the answer through His Word by revealing His character and plan. (“Will this help me represent the gospel?” “Will this help me be part of Jesus’ distinct community?”)
4. Involve others Proverbs 12:15
   1. I need God’s Word and other believers to help me see straight.
   2. Inform others of temptations/current struggles; get counsel when making a decision; ask specific questions instead of wanting general counsel (“what am I not seeing right now?”)
5. Decide to worship Romans 12:1-2
   1. We are to use everything about ourselves to worship God. What’s our motivation? Because Christ bought and saved us. Christianity has a cost. We’re sacrificing everything about us to God’s glory.
   2. Every moment of your day is a moment to worship the Living God.