Indifference

Ruth Haley Barton in her book, “Pursuing God’s Will Together”, has a chapter entitled: “From decision making to discernment”. The entire book is a great guide for any person or congregation that is attempting to know and do the will of God. Under the heading “The Prayer of Indifference” she shares a bit or amazing wisdom.

“In [this] prayer we ask God to make us indifferent to anything but the will of God relative to the matter we are gathered to discern… We ask God for the grace to desire his will – nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.

Praying for indifference may be the most counterintuitive move in the leadership discernment process… [leadership] is about putting ourselves and guiding the group into a position to be led by Christ, who is the true head of the church. Indifference is as crucial in leadership discernment as it is in personal discernment…”

Someone has said that if any issue lasts more than 10 minutes its about ego, not the issue. When we pray for holy indifference we are praying the prayer that Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane…’not my will Father, but yours’. This prayer, this posture, helps us to put our own opinions and preferences aside so that there is room for God’s will. This prayer begs us to let go of our pet projects and our personal domains and to remember that this church is the body of Christ. This is not my church, or my mission…this is God’s mission. I am blessed to be part of God’s amazing plan for this world. I am excited to know what God is excited about and what God has in store for this congregation. God is up to something!!! Let’s join God in God’s amazing plan! Thanks be to God!