A group of believers met together and dedicated significant time to pray, fast, and worship. And as a result, ‘the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”’ How did they know the Spirit told them this? The passage doesn’t say. It may have been a dramatic moment. Or it may be that later, looking back, they recognised that the Spirit had guided them. But what is certain is that they received guidance from God together. When it comes to guidance, one of the mistakes we make is called ‘narrow framing’; we miss the whole range of options God has before us because of our limited thinking. A Christian author explains: ‘We ask things like “Should I end this relationship or not?” instead of, “How might I make this relationship better?” Or “Should I buy that or not?” rather than, “What’s the best way I can use this money?”…On our own, we tend to suffer from confirmation bias. We seek out information that confirms what it is we already want rather than looking for the unvarnished truth. People watch cable channels that reinforce their political bias. We pretend we want the truth…but what we really want is reassurance of the positions we have already staked out.’ Isaiah told about people ‘who say to the seers, “Do not see”; and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions”’ (Isaiah 30:10 NRSV). In seeking guidance, operate according to the H.O.W. principle. In other words, be Honest, Open, Willing.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.