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TOGETHER MAY – JUNE 2022
Widening the Understanding

of Spiritual Discernment

Jeff Crosby speaks to Stephen Macchia about his new book, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
The Discerning Life: An Invitation to Notice God in Everything.

The idea of spiritual discernment is too often three ways we make decisions: first, when it’s segments: discerning God individually;
applied only in times of decision-making. obvious (the building is on fire, therefore we discerning God in our daily relationships and in
Stephen Macchia wants to widen our make swift decisions: get out and make sure our wider world; and discerning God’s priorities
understanding. everyone is safe!); second, when we have together as a community of leaders, a small
options for discernment; and third, when we group, or a family. Self-awareness grows out of
Jeff Crosby: In The Discerning Life, have to simply wait (like a sailboat out on the our pursuit of God-awareness, getting to know
I encountered repeatedly the phrase the true God as we get to know our true selves.
‘practising a preference for God’. water and there’s no wind to carry it forward … Biblical hospitality is expressed out of one’s
Tell us about that foundational idea. we wait for the wind, rather than put down the desire to care for the lost, the lonely, and the left
oars or rev up the engine). Most of us are much
Stephen Macchia: It comes from one of behind, just as Jesus did when He walked
my mentors, Rueben Job, who summarised planet Earth. Empathy for others in various
a definition for spiritual discernment as cultures, ethnicities, and people groups
‘practising a preference for God.’ I affirm comes out of our awareness of our own
that as the foundation for a lifestyle of story and our desire to love and serve
discernment: noticing God in our daily others without judgment. These are all
lives, pointing out God to one another in intertwined in the development of a heart
community relationships, and learning how that longs to be known and loved, and, as
to trust God first and foremost in every a result, desires to know and love others
aspect of our personal lives, relationships, in Jesus’ name and with Jesus’ heart.
leadership and service to others. My goal is Such practices impact one’s ability to live
to cease the pigeon-holing of discernment discerningly within the wider contexts of
into the exclusive realm of decision-making our life and service to others. We are not
and will-of-God searching and instead to created to live in isolation, but instead in
widen our understanding of the concept and community. Both the individual and the
lifestyle of discernment in our daily lives. community need to practise together a
preference for God. When that occurs, we
Crosby: You seek to help leaders experience a slice of heaven-on-earth, as
of all kinds to prioritise the care of we worship, relate and serve arm-in-arm
their souls. for the King and His Kingdom.
Macchia: I stress the need for us to live Crosby: How might The Discerning
prayerfully and expectantly, learning how Life be used corporately by
to notice God in our prayer closets as well leadership teams?
as in our daily lives. I believe that leaders Macchia: Imagine if your leadership
need to model such a priority so that teams actually shared a common priority
others follow their example and practise of living the discerning life – together!
a preference for God for the sake of their That’s a dream I long for in every ministry
own souls and for the influence they have setting worldwide. When we encourage
upon others. The first area of soul care ISBN 9780310127901/Zondervan/Stephen Macchia/ one another to practise a preference for
that I cover is silence, solitude, slowness PB/224 pp/£12.99 God daily, we create a new culture for our
and stillness. I also talk about keeping the teams and our organisations.
Scriptures central to our prayer lives, as
well as various reflective practices. Additionally, more interested in making swift decisions than
I suggest that Sabbath rest is the turnkey to the in taking the time to prayerfully discern God’s
deeper life and is a must-have practice for living priorities, or even worse, having to wait in God’s
the discerning life. waiting room for His timing. Good discerners
know how to lean into all three ways of decision-
Crosby: The notion of ‘noticing God in making appropriately and prayerfully.
everything’ struck me as being just a bit in
the tradition of Ignatius of Loyola. Crosby: As I read, I encountered some
interesting concepts connected to the idea Jeff Crosby is the
Macchia: Ignatius has had a significant president and
influence on my reflections upon, and in the of discernment – things such as empathy, CEO of ECPA, the
execution of, the discerning life. His thumbprint hospitality, and self-awareness. How are trade association
is all over chapter eight, where I present a those spiritual practices connected to the of Christian
ten question process for individual and group idea of discernment? publishing in North America.
discernment. I love how Ignatius speaks of the Macchia: The book is designed in three
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