Awakenings
People, Places, and Passages A Trinity for Spiritual Guidance
By REV. BOB GREER

And the Lord God said, “I will give them hearts to know and remember me.
They will be my people and I will be their God,
for they will wholeheartedly return to me.”  (Jeremiah 24:7)

As my wife and I face the decision about retiring and considering how we will live our lives, I admit to experiencing some concern and even stress at times. Where do we go from here? Where will we get our health care and what kind of health insurance should we purchase? What church will we join and how will the neighbors feel about a retired minister being among them? Will the people and places there be as nice and interesting as they are here in Wellsboro? Will our retirement serve us well? What if there is a recession?

If I think too excessively about these concerns, I can become anxious. In the past when I needed answers and guidance, I often turned to the “three Ps”—people, places, and passages—for help. So that I can better discern how God is working in this new era of my life, it’s important that I revisit the “three Ps.”

People: During my life there have been family, friends, mentors, and teachers who have helped me see God’s plan and my need to move on or stay put. Many of these people were new friends who appeared when I needed friends like them the most. I never actually met some of my special friends and mentors, but I have come to know them from reading their works or reading about them. 

When I was in seminary, a wise professor once challenged me to try to put myself in another person’s skin and imagine how he or she would handle a concern or problem. What advice might they give me if they were here? What concerns might they have that I might be overlooking? 

My wife and children know me better than anyone else. I am pleased to seek their help and their advice has often been very helpful. Seeking the counsel and communion of others has proved to be a valued help in the past. It’s time to visit with these helpers and friends again. 

Places: There are special places that have meant much to us because of the help, insight, and clarity we discovered there. In many ways, these places are like sacred places. They are places of prayer, encounter, and illumination. God’s Spirit has spoken to us and touched us there. It’s important to identify and discover those special places where we can be more attentive to God. Church sanctuaries are often places where I find a special communion with God. The psalmist said his chief joy was “to visit God’s house, to behold God’s fair beauty, and to inquire of God’s holiness” (Ps. 27:4).  This is good advice for anyone.

Passages: When seeking guidance, I compulsively turn to the Bible. Fortunately, I know many passages by heart and where to find other passages that are relevant. I keep my concordances handy so I can look up and confirm these words. 
I have a Bible that has been with me since I graduated from high school. I have highlighted and marked it up with notes. I make frequent use of these notes and try to remember when these passages spoke to me before. 

For me, the Bible has been a very reliable counselor throughout my life. I trust it. I value its deep wisdom. Probably no other piece of literature has helped more people than the Bible. It has a track record bar none. 

My old, marked-up Bible reminds me of the many people who have helped me in very different ways; as I review the marking in the old, worn book, I think of the many different places the book has been with me, illuminating my path. Finally, the highlighted passages remind me of when I first enjoyed an insight that the beloved passage offered. The counsel I gain from this old, marked-up book is invaluable. That is why I read it every day and make notes on what its words stir up in me.

Having to make big decisions can be stressful. We can find the help we need by going back to the people, places, and passages that have helped in the past.  
For me they are all bound together in my old, worn Bible.    

Reverend Greer is the pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. You can contact him at awakenings@mountainhomemag.com.