i’d love to make this sound like the cool kind of parable Jesus would have used, but i don’t think i can.
but if it was a fairy-tale type story it would begin with something sounding like ‘Once upon a time…’ and very quickly end up at the place of ‘Brett looked at the path and it was blocked by the giant obstacle. He didn’t know what to do next.’
and depending on your perspective on life and God and big obstacles, Brett might do very different things next.
if you’re a ‘glass half empty’ kind of person, you might see the obstacle as a sign that God placed the obstacle in your path so you wouldn’t choose that particular path. go and find another easier path, Brett. [this could be Balaam’s donkey warning you off the path, it could be Paul being blocked from going to Asia in Acts 16, it could be the angel with the sword keeping Adam and Eve from re-entering the garden]
if you’re a ‘glass half full’ kind of person, you might see the obstacle as a sign that the devil is worried about the work you are doing and is trying to stop you. keep on, Brett, find a way around or through the obstacle because that is the path you are meant to be walking. [this could be the Israelites crossing the sea, Abraham attempting to sacrifice Isaac, Daniel deciding to continue to pray and being thrown in the lion’s den]
the main problem is that in either case the obstacle looks the same. it’s not like obstacles are divided into ‘push through because it’s the enemy placing it there’ kinds of obstacles and ‘turn around because God is trying to tell you to go a different way’ kinds of obstacles… they both simply appear as an obstacle and if you get counsel from wise friends of yours, you might find yourself listening to both opposing pieces of advice [both of which are an understandable reading of the scenario]
and so the key has to be the Holy Spirit – being in touch with and in tune with God so He can reveal to you which one it is? do i stay or do i go?
easy, huh? unless of course you are having a bit of trouble hearing God on the matter and then it goes back to making a hopeful choice…
this is a scenario that plays out often in our lives and happened again this morning [well, over the last few days] as we have had such issues trying to book a flight for Val:
GHE: It’s a sign from God – don’t do this Relational Tithe thing – you are meant to pull out of it and stay here!
GHF: It’s an attack from the enemy – God wants you to push through and defeat the obstacle and He is allowing it to be there to strengthen your faith.
ah okay got it, this could go either way, so which is it God?
[sound of crickets]
and so there lies the dilemma – i do think the solution lies somewhere in making sure we’ve taken enough time to ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ [psalm 46.10] and then also to invite the wisdom [and listening] of Jesus following friends – maybe as we listen together, someone will be able to make out the quiet whisper of God…
if not, though, we will have to make a call and follow the path of whichever one we choose, knowing full well that we serve both a Loving and Faithful God who knows our hearts and gets that we have done everything we thought of to try and ascertain which path it was… a God who, if we get it wrong while honestly trying to get it right, is so much full of Grace and Love and Forgiveness and Compassion that He will not leave us treading water in the after effects of a decision gone wrong…
therein lies a lot of the confidence i have in God… that He is able to make Himself heard when necessary, that He is able to direct and guide and beckon, that He is so quick to rush in and help out when things go wrong, that His bride, the church, has been created with a role of helping to ensure that we don’t fall face first on the ground and lie there, wounded and bleeding, without doing something about it.
and so Brett has some paths, and some obstacles, and a beautiful Valerie alongside him… and he is listening and asking and waiting… trying to figure out which is God and which is the enemy and which is just plain life…
and he is not TOO worried at all.
[i would LOVE to hear your perspective and thoughts on the two ways an obstacle can be looked at and maybe an experience you have had in that]
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I agree that the key hear is to ASK OF THE LORD.
Too often we try to reason things out using our own logic but not seeing with God what it is that he wants. Now I do understand that God gives us common wisdom and so we do not need to ask him about everything (what colour underwear we wear doesn’t matter to him or even if we wear any, I don’t think) but I am reminded that Israel used common sense when they were faced with dusty Gibeonites (Israelites were supposed too be hospitable and help foreigners), they disobeyed God.
I think that when you have a directive from God to do something, then you must go do what he has instructed you to do (if he has called you to ministry, then you must trust that he will help you to do it.)
The question always though, is: “Is this what God wants me to do?” And only God has the answer to that question.
Well all in all, we’re no longer in the old testament stage where we refuse to let go of God until He does something like bless us or etc. In the new testament Jesus says I will be with u wherever u go. There’s little room for dillema right there. Just make the choice with an honest heart. He knows your perspective and personality. Just go, stay, whatever as long as there is no element of fear or lack of peace cause those smell of the devil. WHEREVER U GO. Better than MTN. Just my view
Brett – what about putting out a fleece ?
it’s a tricky one cos of the whole ‘don’t put God to the test’ vibe… this time round we went for a decision but with a proviso, so if such a such doesn’t happen by such and such a time then change of plan… but this blog was more about the concept than this particular incident as it is interesting to hear two people view a similar thing but have opposing view points on what it means and if your conclusion is God or it’s the devil then you will have a completely different reaction to it, so really an interesting one to think through…
from Dave Gale:
Hey Brett,
I faced this last year this time when faced with two different yet
equally appetizing opportunities from a work angle. I posed your
question to my accountability partner and spiritual mentor. I need to
preface his advice to me with a note that we have been walking a path of
a few years now where we meet once a week over coffee, share the darkest
and lightest of our lives and most importantly we share what we have
learned from reading chunks of Gods word. (We sometimes need to exhort
each other to be more diligent in that). I’ve taken to using 3
bookmarks (initially spaced evenly through the books of the bible)
reading at least one chapter from where each bookmark was the day
before. Interesting insights happen when a passage from say Exodus
links with one in Ecclesiastes and another in Hebrews… Through this
process I have become convinced that there are economic principles of
the Old Testament that need to come through the cross… He gives us
fields to work; when we are attentive and listen, when we hear, are
obedient, and when we are faithful in our tithes, our first fruits, and
are generous with what we have, he opens heaven over the fields he has
given us.
So, how to work out which field it is that God wants us to tend next?
I believe it helps to ask yourself a few questions:
1) Is it in line with God’s word? – deal breaker that one, but fairly
easy to determine. One may need to question one’s motives here.
2) Is in line with (or a radical departure from) what He has been saying
to you so far? – making a habit of spending quality time immersed in His
Word and letting it percolate through my day, I find clarity arrives
quietly – more like a still small voice than a thunderclap.
3) What does my life partner say? – listen carefully to your partner’s
heart (without interrupting 😉
4) What does my accountability partner say? – this is the guy I have been
using as a sounding board about what I’m reading, the guy who bears me
up in prayer when I’m battling with temptation, with doubt, with
depression, the guy who celebrates with me when God comes through for
me. He knows me and he loves God. He often sees through the clutter
and cuts to the chase.
5) Do you have peace about it? I’m not talking about having no fear of a
big hairy audacious goal, or of being 100% certain; I’m talking about
having a conviction that this is the right direction, no matter what the
size of the boulder is that is in your way. That peace you don’t quite
understand.
Then I believe there is no problem in saying “Lord, this is what I’m
hearing, this is what I’m thinking, this is where I am going, I’m
heading out now, so be gracious please Lord and do some door-closing and
rock blasting here, ‘coz if this rock doesn’t move and I wander through
the wrong door, there’s going to be grumpy folk – you and me both!”
Then head out, knowing you have a Father who loves you and who can fix
things when you do wander through the wrong door…
God bless,
Dave
Brett,
Thought i’d share this when Mish and I had to make some decisions.
http://www.gracefellowship.co.za/files/Decision%20Making%20PDF,%202009.pdf
This booklet – discussing biblical decision making – (as Dave pointed out above and because i find going back to the bible is a pretty good idea) and a whole lot of prayer and praise helped us in figuring out the next step. Hope this helps a bit.
If you seek God’s path for your life, He will help you stay on it. and that’s a promise (from God).
Later !