Willard: Guidance

“Divine guidance is not a gimmick we can keep on tap for our gain…. Although it is available to all those who walk with God, it is not at their disposal as they see fit, without regard to the purposes of God’s government….  Divine guidance is not for any form of self-aggrandizement.  It is not for the enhancement of the ego, for the building up of pride.  It is not to prove that ‘I’m okay.’  How many times have we heard others invoke God’s support for their cause, saying ‘God says’ or ‘God told me,’ sometimes subtly, sometimes blatantly using the voice of God to prove that they are right!  But as with all of God’s activities in human life, guidance is for the promotion of his kingdom and our good in that kingdom.”

–Dallas Willard, In Search for Guidance: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God, 67.