10/12/25 - Discerning God’s Will in Troubling Times - Pastor Josh Stelly

This message is being shared in a season where many people are carrying heavy hearts — wrestling with fear, anger, anxiety,and grief over what’s happening in our nation and in the world. The goal of this sermon is not to give political commentary or quick answers, but to help us recenter our hearts on God’s character and presence in the middle of confusion and uncertainty.Through the prophet Habakkuk, we learn that God invites our honest questions — that real faith is not silent, but seeking. Habakkuk lived in a time of moral decline, violence, and national instability, and yet through his dialogue with God he discovered that the righteous live by faith not by sight Through the story of Jesus in the boat with His disciples, we learn that even when God seems silent, He is not absent. The One who calmed the storm still reigns over every wave of fear, division, and doubt we face today. Drawing from Scripture and from spiritual discernment practices (as outlined by Ruth Haley Barton in Pursuing God’s Will Together), this message invites the church to become a discerning people — a people who listen for God’s voice, wait for His direction, and respond with trust instead of panic. We will ask reflective questions that move us from reaction to revelation, from anxiety to awareness of God’s presence. The heart of this sermon is simple but powerful: Even when we don’t understand God’s plan, we can trust His character.This is a call to spiritual steadiness, unity, and worship — to fix our eyes on Jesus in a world that feels adrift. May this message help our community grow in faithful discernment, courage, and peace as we seek God’s will together.

Introduction — When the World Shakes

“God, what are You doing—and how do we live faithfully in times like these?”

1. When God Seems Silent

Habakkuk 1:2–4

Habakkuk 1:5

Habakkuk 2:4

Habakkuk 3:17–18

2. Peace in the Middle of the Storm

Mark 4:37–38

A. The moment in the disciples’ journey

B. The power and purpose of the storm

Mark 4:40

C. What this means for discernment today

3. A Biblical Response When Our Nation Faces Troubling Times

A. When you feel fear — Remember Who is in control

Psalm 56:3

Psalm 46:1

B. When you feel anger — Let it move you to righteous action, not sinful reaction

Ephesians 4:26

James 1:20

C. When you feel anxiety — Anchor your mind in the peace of God

Philippians 4:6–7

D. When you feel grief — Lament with hope

Matthew 5:4

E. When you don’t know what to do — Fix your eyes on Jesus

Hebrews 12:2

The Questions We Need to Bring Before God

If we truly want to discern God’s will in these times, here are some questions we might consider bringing before Him:

• Am I seeking God’s presence or just His answers?
• Am I listening to His Word more than my worry?
• Am I processing my emotions in prayer or in panic?
• Am I rooted in community or retreating in isolation?
• Am I keeping my eyes on Christ or on the chaos?

Living This Out — Discerning God’s Will in Troubling Times

So how do we live this out when times are troubling?It begins by living those questions daily — and by learning what Ruth Haley Barton calls “the practice of discernment.” Barton reminds us that discernment is not decision-making — it’s attention. It’s the ever-increasing capacity to notice and respond to the activity of God in every situation, rather than react in fear or control.

Here are key lessons drawn from her wisdom and Scripture:

1. Slow down to see clearly.

2. Begin with transformation, not information.

3. Cultivate indifference — wanting God’s will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.

4. Practice listening — to God, to each other, and to your own soul.

5. Trust unity and peace as fruit of the Spirit’s leading.