Week 10: Guidance, Providence, and Prayer — Chapters 15–17

1.Packer argues that the shepherd image in Psalm 23 is not a soft sentimental comfort but a robust, concrete promise of God's active guidance through the full range of life's terrain — including "the valley of the shadow of death." What does it mean to trust God as shepherd in a way that is actually strengthened rather than destroyed by hard circumstances?

2.Packer warns against Christians who become obsessed with "finding God's will" in an almost magical sense — looking for signs, fleeces, or feelings — rather than walking in wisdom informed by Scripture and godly counsel. What is the difference between genuine Spirit-led discernment and what Packer might call spiritual superstition?

3.In his discussion of God as Judge (Chapter 16), Packer argues that the fact of divine judgment is not a cause for terror for the Christian but ultimately a source of comfort and moral seriousness. How does knowing that all injustice will ultimately be judged affect how you respond to personal wrongs, systemic evil, or the prosperity of the wicked?