by Demi Prentiss

It’s all too easy to get sucked into the notion of the need for a heroic response to God’s call.  Once you’ve figured out where God is asking you to go, isn’t it up to the individual to get themselves there – climb any mountain, swim any river, suffer weariness and pain, all for the sake of responding to God’s call with immediate, decisive action?

There are actually times when that kind of response is called for. Usually, however, ending up in tune with what God has in mind has more to do with careful discernment, fueled by watching and listening and waiting before we set a plan in motion. Remembering that God has been there, in action, long before we even entered the picture. Being clear that the people around you are players in God’s plan as much as you are.

Faith+Lead offers access to a learning lab supported by Luther Seminary. Focused on exploring ways to cultivate Christian faith in the twenty-first century, Faith+Lead serves as a connector to resources, experiments, and communities that see the Holy Spirit moving in the midst of change.  Members of such communities recognize that God is at work everywhere in the world – wherever we go, God is already in action. One of the keys to acting on our faith is learning to perceive where God is operating, in order to join in the work that’s already in progress.

A recent blog post invited readers to start with paying attention to what God might be up to in their neighborhood, turning a lawn chair into a tool of mission.  The blog claims, “This breakthrough practice helps you discern where the Holy Spirit is at work in your neighborhood–simply by making time regularly to pay attention to your neighbors.”

The instructions boil down to

1. 1. 1.  Set up a lawn chair. Sit in it.
      2.  Pay attention. What’s going on around you?
      3.  Ask questions. Notice God’s activity.
      4.  Try variations. Get out and observe where God might be showing up.

Responding to God’s call to make a difference may depend on our ability to discern what God is up to, right in front of us.

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Have you discovered the “Making It Work” podcast? Launched on October 21, “Making It Work” is a new podcast produced by a partnership between The Max De Pree Center for Leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary and the Theology of Work Project. Join hosts Leah Archibald and Mark Roberts as they talk with guests about inviting God into the challenges that come across your desk and into your inbox on a day to day basis. Listen in and see what God might be saying to you. Don’t miss it! Follow on Instagram @theologyofwork for updates.