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Paul called “thorns” are not outside God’s awareness (2 Cor 12:7–10). Rat- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985).
her than trea�ng them as deficiencies to be overcome, this stage invites cli- The general causality orienta�-
ons scale: Self-determina�on in
ents to see their histories as the raw material of divine transforma�on. The
personality. Journal of research
will, in this stage, is not yet fully formed, but tenta�ve, fragile, and sear- in personality, 19(2), 109-134.
ching. But by loca�ng personal pain within God’s story, even brokenness Dunsmore, S., & Goodson, P.
begins to hint at purpose. (2006). Mo�va�on for healthy
behavior: A review of health
The second take is to Locate, which reposi�ons the individual within the
promo�on research. American
grand narra�ve of the missio Dei (Counted et al., 2024). In this task, we be-
Journal of Health Educa�on,
gin to reinterpret our lives not as random or wasted but as situated within a 37(3), 170-183.
broader spiritual arc (Bosch, 2011). Voli�on becomes rooted not just in psy- Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A.
chological resources but in theological orienta�on. The thorn becomes a (2002). Mo�va�onal beliefs,
values, and goals. Annual re-
marker of where one’s story intersects with God's redemp�ve mission. This
view of psychology, 53(1),
reframing fosters meaning-making, especially in the face of suffering becau- 109-132.
se when people are able to locate their pain within a sacred framework, Goldstein, D. S. (2019). How
their capacity for voli�onal ac�on increases (Pargament, 2013). They no lon- does homeostasis happen? In-
ger strive alone but with the knowledge that their striving is tethered to tegra�ve physiological, systems
biological, and evolu�onary
something eternal.
perspec�ves. American Journal
The third task is to Engage. This is where the will comes alive. Engagement of Physiology-Regulatory, Inte-
is not just about behavioral ac�va�on. It is the spiritual and voli�onal prac- gra�ve and Compara�ve Phy-
�ce of saying ‘yes’ to God in the face of hardship. Kroll’s (2025) emphasis on siology, 316(4), R301-R317.
self-regula�on is vital here, but missional therapy goes even further. Enga- Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Imple-
menta�on inten�ons: strong
gement means discerning and enac�ng God’s will, even when the personal
effects of simple plans. Ameri-
cost is high. It is where the will matures through prac�ce: se�ng goals, de- can psychologist, 54(7), 493.
laying gra�fica�on, resis�ng despair, and remaining faithful in adversity Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P.
(Baumeister & Vohs, 2007). The will, then, is not formed in the absence of (2006). Implementa�on inten�-
suffering but through engagement with it. Missional engagement teaches ons and goal achievement: A
meta-analysis of effects and
that it is not in spite of our thorns but through them that we embody the
processes. Advances in experi-
call of God (Counted et al., 2024). mental social psychology, 38,
The final task is Apply—the outward expression of inward transforma�on. 69-119.
This is where flourishing manifests not as a sta�c trait but as a lived tes�m- Grolnick, W. S., & Ryan, R. M.
(1989). Parent styles associated
ony. In other words, will, at this phase, becomes witness. Individuals are in-
with children's self-regula�on
vited to turn their healed pain into redemp�ve stories of purpose, serving
and competence in school.
others, leading from weakness, and living out their faith with integrity Journal of educa�onal psycho-
(Counted et al., 2024). In this phase, the will becomes embodied, not abs- logy, 81(2), 143.
tract; it is no longer a theore�cal strength but a lived capacity to enact God’s Haggard, P. (2008). Human voli-
�on: towards a neuroscience of
mission in daily life. This is the essence of self-transcendent mo�va�on, with
will. Nature Reviews Neuros-
the primary goal of living as a vessel of divine love and jus�ce and not for cience, 9(12), 934-946.
oneself (Koltko-Rivera, 2006). Heckhausen, J. (2007). The mo-
From the missional perspec�ve, voli�on is central to the abundant life and �va�on-voli�on divide and its
Chris�an flourishing because it connects meaning with movement. It resolu�on in ac�on-phase mo-
dels of developmental regula�-
bridges the gap between belief and behavior, values and ac�on, theology
on. Research in Human Deve-
and therapy. Missional therapy teaches that people flourish when their will lopment, 4(3-4), 163-180.
is aligned not merely with personal goals but with transcendent missional Koltko-Rivera, M. E. (2006). Re-
purpose. And this purpose is not just any higher aim, but rather is par�cipa- discovering the later version of
�on in the healing, reconciling work of God in the world (Counted et al., Maslow's hierarchy of needs:
Self-transcendence and oppor-
2024).
tuni�es for theory, research,
Nonetheless, flourishing requires the ability to navigate moral complexity. and unifica�on. Review of ge-
The will is not only about choosing goals but about choosing rightly. As Kroll neral psychology, 10(4),
emphasized, voli�onal maturity includes the courage to act with moral inte- 302-317.
grity, even when values conflict or consequences are uncertain. Missional Kroll, K. (2025). Learning to
exert will – mo�va�on and
therapy echoes this very moral impera�ve, invi�ng individuals to cul�vate
mastering tasks in counselling
the kind of missional wisdom that can discern and do the good, even when

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