Answering Your Questions: Week of 21 January 2013
Dear Ambassadors,
I am very interested in making the Salvation Army a second career, especially in light of U r Dec ’12 War Cry interview.
How does the Salvation Army currently address its “greatest concern?” Is there anything published on the web about by the SA about making second career individuals into officers? I suspect at some point I would need to speak to local SA officers or personal, but what if there is no corp nearby?
- Mark
Dear Mark:
Thank you for your inquiry about the work of The Salvation Army and your sensitivity to the possibility of service in our movement.
In response to your question concerning how TSA addresses its “greatest need” (What We’re All About, interview with Major George Hood, War Cry , December 2012) of personnel I would like to point you to Boothyouth.com for introductory information on TSA and especially the tab entitled Candidates for some answers to your questions concerning pursuing Salvation Army Officership. That website should at least get you started in the right direction. The next step, as you have already stated, is to find a Salvation Army Corps (church) near you to do further investigation by attending worship services, volunteering and talking with the officers in charge.
As you take these steps I strongly encourage you to wait on God as you find answers to your questions. Please note that Salvation Army Officership is so much more than a “career”. . .it is a calling. If God opens more and more doors in this area then He will equip you for the ministry ahead.
I leave you with this verse:
“And this is my prayer: That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight that you may discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. . . “ Philippians 1:9-10
God bless you.
LH
Dear Ambassadors,
How can I learn to better discern Gods will and His answers to my prayers? For example:
I have been praying to Him for help in choosing a new career path and seeking to get a better understanding of the purpose for which He created me. I keep hoping and praying to get a clear answer–some clear indication of where God is leading me but so far that hasn’t happened. I know, in some matters, discerning His will is as simple as looking to the Scripures to learn what’s commanded, what’s forbidden, what’s the honest, fair, ethical choice etc. but in an area like choosing a career path, there’s no one correct choice. I have a very difficult time discerning His will in these areas and in the past I have often misinterpreted His will and His “voice”–thinking He wanted me to choose a given path only to realize later that I was wrong. Please give me some advise on how to discern and know His voice.
Thank you,
Cindy
Cindy,
You are correct in stating that much of God’s will is clearly given in Scripture, i.e. our salvation, holiness, loving God, loving our neighbor, ask and it shall be given, etc. Romans 12:1-2 says that when we present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, we will be able to test and approve His will. If this is so in your life (presenting yourself wholly/holy unto God) then you will walk the path He has planned for you before you were born. Scripture is clear that we should walk by faith not be sight, so there are those incidents when we will not hear a voice or be given a clear word on a particular situation, like your career path. Saying that, I am fully persuaded that if you love the Lord with all you heart, soul, mind and strength, you will intuitively know that you are on the right path. I refer to the Holy Spirit as my spiritual GPS who always puts me back on the right path even when I veer off by human decision.
Cindy, there’s no easy answer here. Faith doesn’t come with a set of instructions. If it’s of God, you’ll know it’s right and if not, you’ll also know it’s wrong. I guess a basic question would be with each decision, who will get the glory? Following the Proverb, “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path” is what is most required. Lord, if I take this job is it from you? Lord, if I pursue a degree, is this from you? Ask the questions but then walk out in faith that God is directing, even if the decision doesn’t seem to work out because the lesson learned may have been God’s will. I asked the same question of God and ended up taking on four different jobs before it became very evident what God wanted of my life. Yet each job prepared me for ministry in a different way.
The bottom line is prayer, consult trusted mentors, then make a decision and walk by faith.
LH
