By the time you read this the Conclave is likely to have concluded. There will be a new Pope. The selection process for the Archbishop of Canterbury will take significantly longer! Both processes seek to be guided by the Holy Spirit, its just one seems to be more efficient, although less consultative. The work of seeking the Spirit’s guidance is not straightforward. I’m fascinated by oblique references in the Bible to this apostle or that going on a mission with the confident assertion they were, ‘led by the Holy Spirit’. The Old Testament prophets seem even more confident, their words often appended by, “thus saith the Lord”, or equivalent. I wonder what form that leading took? Was it a strong inward impression; an audible voice, or a response to what they had read in scripture? I remember someone coming to me for counsel many years ago who said he felt the Lord was leading him to leave his wife because he had gone off her and had fallen for a work colleague. I suggested obeying the command not to commit adultery probably applied in this case. It didn’t need a strong sense of the presence of God. Those commands are there for a reason, especially when unruly human passions get the better of us.
How are we to distinguish the actual leading of the Holy Spirit from too much cheese before bedtime, or vain attempts to sanctify retrospectively what we would have done anyway? In the Bible discernment in big areas of life is almost invariably corporate. Multiple voices and perspectives come together, each with a piece of a puzzle, each reflecting something of the work of the Spirit within them. Individuals need an objective view. Our capacity for self-deception about our gifts is almost boundless. It is more likely that God will lead us in directions that cohere with the way he made us rather than contradicting them.
But sometimes corporate discernment in the Bible leads people in directions that are risky and don’t make much sense. Paul is led by the Spirit to Rome to arrest and execution. The Holy Spirit might nudge us into a spiritual conversation that we would otherwise avoid out of English politeness. Ultimately, there is no fail-safe guide to getting it right. Desiring to follow the Lord’s guidance is a necessary first step. Regular worship and Bible reading, forming our minds in Christian ways will certainly help also. Being part of a community where we can be open to the wisdom of others is also vital. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would lead his followers into all truth after Pentecost. Through mistakes and humility I believe he leads us in his way in the end.
+Richard