Common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense . . .

While I’ve not known anyone personally that fits this category, I’ve heard of people who determined God would do something for them and were greatly disappointed. Without knowing the specifics of their situation, it seems unwise to comment. I only know that God makes and keeps His promises. His way of answering prayer almost always surprises me and surpasses my expectations, and He does not desire to make my life miserable.

Tozer points to the New Testament words of Elizabeth after she met Mary and learned of God’s promise of pregnancy and the birth of the long-awaited Messiah:

“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45)

As Tozer says, the church has been filled with expectation in times of her greatest power, every great movement of God in history, every unusual advance. Every revival has been preceded by a sense of keen anticipation. Not only this, those expectations involve the working of the Holy Spirit. Just as God rewards those who believe in Him, He also grants a sense of ‘it will happen’ as we pray according to His will.

There is a mystery in faith —I cannot make it happen. I can’t tell myself God will do a thing and then have that childlike expectation and wait for it to happen. Even if there is a superficial eagerness, I’ve always known in my heart the source was not God. Instead, this expectation is a God-given thing, a sense that God has made a promise and God will do it. This is “the beauty and wonder of the Lord’s presence among us.”

Tozer adds that in this we might question: What is God’s will for us in this matter? He says we should not ‘abandon our God-given common sense’ in the victorious life.

This raised another question for me — what is common sense? How does it differ from godly wisdom? This passage gives a black and white response to that question:

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. (James 3:16–17)

In other words, common sense might be mixed up with personal motives. For every decision, I ought to ask why would I want to do this? Personal ambition? To be better than others? To gain over someone else? Or to bear the fruit that only the Holy Spirit can produce? To do that, I must listen to and be obedient to the Lord.

Another writer says that ‘common sense’ is only ‘common’ for a particular language and culture or the background of each life. That is, what might make perfect sense to me could be entirely foreign or foolish to a person from Asia or Africa. For it to be truly ‘common’ it must be something that works for all people.

Oswald Chambers says common sense is a gift from God to human nature; but it is not the gift of His Son — which is ‘supernatural sense.’ Our ordinary wits will never worship God unless transfigured by the Holy Spirit. He also says that common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. Nothing Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, it is revelation sense. Faith always puts Jesus Christ first — ‘Lord, You have said this . . . and it looks rather foolish, even crazy, but I am going to go forth because it is Your Word and I trust You.’

Many would obey God if He allowed the use of common sense, but will refuse to take a step in the dark or do anything that is risky. However, for those who do, we discover that what the Lord says is even more solid than common sense.  

To answer the question of knowing the will of God, my ordinary common-sense decisions are God’s will for me unless He gives an inner check. I can go ahead with life making ordinary decisions, putting my faith in Him. He will tell me if He has another plan. Yesterday, in sharing with someone, many ideas came to my head. Some came out my mouth and others where checked by the Holy Spirit. My common sense could not discern His reasons, but faith is willing to do what He says because it is God who says it.

^^^^^^^^^

Lord, You seem to be telling me to wait on You regarding a decision in my ordinary life. Most would argue that waiting is not sensible. However, You are not an ill advisor, a person with an agenda that takes no account of what is best, of what will most benefit me and most benefit the glory of God. Common sense keeps fading away as I yield to that still, small voice that says, “Wait My child and I will take care of this.”