Wish List - Level Four

The Basic Issue

The significance of the development of this fourth level of the Wish List Instrument, is that it serves to open individuals to the rich potentials of an interactive life with God and mankind. In doing so the instrument opens them to being empowered in their life in the world with power and resource beyond that available from "every fruit from the other trees in the garden" (Gen.2:9), that is, with power from the fruit of "the tree of life" to which he now has a restored access (Gen. 3:24). .

The first insight which leads to the bridging of the gap between the impossibility of level one-two ("taking hold" and doing all the action ourselves, and the somewhat disconnected from reality of level three ("letting go" and letting God do the action), is found in the grammatical construction of the of the midle voice which English does not have. It is the interactive voice. God is calling us into an interactive relationship rather than an active or passive one.

A second lead up to the actual bridging of the gap is provided in the concept of intercessory prayer, that is, prayer of concern for others, into the solution of which we are willing to be placed.

The actual bridging of the gap between the "take hold" and Let-go" approaches to life is opened up in Andrew Murray's insights into the problem as outlined on the Bridging the gap page of this site. Here he speaks of the difference between the words "will" and "Wish" and that God wants us to request what we "will" not what we "wish". The distinction, he maintains, is between something we want done for us, and something in which we are willing to become actively involved through the engagement of our volition.

The conditions of interactive involvement in life with God follow the four stages of the instrument:

  1. Become aware of your own wish list items, God has been involved in their creation.
  2. Become aware that as we give out life to others, in the areas we know to be important because of our own personal experience, life comes together for us.
  3. Become aware that God wishes to empower the activities which he has enlivened to us.
  4. Become aware that we must be willing to become involved in the restoration (developmental) process as well as become willing to live in such a restored world, rather than simply sitting back and wishing for things to change. That is, become aware that God wants to work interdependently with us.

When the person is ready for this level of discussion, it is a simple matter to have the person reflect on levels one to three of his or her wish list and ask, "am I willing to enter into this level of change process, and am I willing to live with theresults of any changes?"

The Process for Level Four

The question-set for level four is a slight re-writing of a question from level one: "Joe/Susan, What do you will that I do for you?".

On he right hand side of the sheet, the question is: "What difference would it make for you?"

This question set requires a selection of items from the lists, as it is raising the matter of exactly which of all the items on the lists, does the person wish to have God bring to fruition, with the understanding that the person is willing to be involved in the process and willing to live with the outcome, rather than wishing god would do everything for the person.

Answering this question sometimes takes some weeks or months to think through.

This is the end of this componant. Return to Beginning.