Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman (SRSC 12)

Chapter 7: Discerning the Way Forward (1769–1770)

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Ultimately, Woolman bumps up against a moral dilemma. He wants to go and support the slaves, but he does not want to support a ship (by

paying passage) which profits from slave industries. In the end, he finds it best that he stay at home. We also get a sense, through the Journal , of how he felt along the way. How might you have felt through this process? Have you (or others you know) faced a moral dilemma? How do you process moral dilemmas in your inner life?

Perhaps you (or someone you know) is facing a moral dilemma or a matter of serious discernment. What might be the next appropriate

step of action (or waiting) to see this discernment through in a godly manner?

As we see, discernment can involve an entire spectrum of little skills or habits: opening your intentions before a community, paying attention

to what goes on inside, doing the homework of learning about the situation, careful ethical analysis, fervent prayer. At which of these (or other skills you might notice) are you strongest? Where are you weakest? What might you do to improve one of these small habits that would contribute to your discernment of God’s guidance?