“Jake, I’ve been praying about this a lot, but I don’t know what to do. I think it’d be so much fun and I’ll never forget it.”
“Well, what’s the problem? Why aren’t you already gone?”
“Because, it’s so hard! I’ve been praying about this trip and I felt like God said to ‘go’ last week, but I haven’t felt that way for two days now.”
“You should cast lots.”
“Seriously, dude? You don’t get it. I’m afraid I’m going to mess something up by going. Maybe I should fast.”
“Yes. Stop eating. Why does it sound like God changed His mind? You didn’t lie to Him to get your way again, did you?”
At that point in the conversation, my buddy punched me right in the middle of my chest. There was more shove to it than punch, so even though it didn’t necessarily hurt, the impact almost sent me sprawling to the ground. I knew I was pushing his buttons and I was having fun with it. I love when my friends take their lives seriously, but at the same time I hate when we make God difficult. Our inability to make a decision can make Yahweh look fickle, at least when played out in front of the rest of the world.
“Why don’t you do what makes you happy? I think six months in Brazil sounds incredible, and you’ll be serving the entire time, right?”
He looked at me as though I had stuck another nerve. “What if God doesn’t want me to do it? I don’t want to screw my future up.”
“You think pretty highly of yourself, don’t you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you really think you can screw your life up while trying to serve God?”
“I’ve heard of it before. Think about the whole business man being a pastor scenario.”
“Have you ever met anyone like that? And do you believe they woke up in hell? Also, do you think that business men and pastors are so alike that they frequently trade jobs on accident? Can you say, ‘urban legend?'”
I goaded for another hour and enjoyed every minute of it. Three months later, he hopped on a plane went on a mission. He’s teaching English and volunteering at a church in Brazil. He seems to be enjoying himself and has yet to fall away from the Lord. The true test will be whether or not he’s prosperous when he comes home because apparently, God only blesses those who don’t mess their lives up by doing the things that bring them joy (and prosperity is obviously the only expression of blessing, too).
★ ★ ★
Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days.
-Ecclesiastes 9:7-9
The word ‘approved’ in verse 7 is Ratsah in Hebrew. It means to be pleased or satisfied with, determined or favorable toward something. I don’t want to say that we can do no wrong, but I think it might be more difficult than we think when we’re in love with Jesus. If you’re trying to make a big decision, stop torturing yourself by superimposing your emotions or another person’s attitude over God’s will. As long as you don’t want something terrible and you’re not breaking the law, you’re probably alright.
I think he should be more worried about NOT doing it, than doing it.
Tony, you make a great point that makes me wonder, what do we do with the opportunities laid out before us? Do we take them at whatever risk and call it faith, or do we avoid them to stay safe and say that it wasn’t God’s will?
Of course, there are other options, but they don’t deviate from this a ton…….
I loved this Jake! I sometimes fall in more with your friend’s way of thinking than yours, even though I know that if I really am following God, my desires and his will be in line. We tend to make God out to be this controlling, difficult being who will make us do things we don’t want to do, when really he shapes our hearts so our desires are the same.
Jason, I know the first several years I was saved, I thought like that. You’re entirely right that it’s easy to make God controlling, to make His will complicated, etc. I’ll admit that living this way isn’t nearly as easy as it is to tell someone else to or to write about it! I feel like I’ve been faced with way too many challenging decisions lately and I’ll ask God about all of them. How many will I hear a clear answer on? I love the challenge in discerning His will. I know God wants us to be happy, but there are also all those awesome little opportunities to build character… blah.
I know what you mean. I’ve had a lot of challenging decisions lately as well, and it definitely hasn’t been easy to discern His will in a lot of them. Sometimes I wish He would just use a bullhorn, or leave me a giant message in the sky, but that doesn’t help me seek Him or build character (I agree – blah!). But in it all, I’m trying to learn that, as long as I am pursuing Him, He will guide me into His will – whether it’s by telling me His will, or closing the doors He doesn’t want me to walk through and opening the ones He does want me to pursue.
Jason, the worst things to try to hear God on are jobs and moving, don’t you think? I cannot tell you how much prayer and fasting I’ve put in and I honestly feel like God says, “Well, what do you want to do? You know the gifts you’re responsible for…” The immediate response is to start eating again. Most likely something terrible for me and I still worry. I’m awesome like that
“How can a man add one hour to his life by worrying”? It is certainly our weakness to worry and over think things, I’m no stranger to it myself. Sometimes it’s easier to see in other people’s lives, good counsel is a gift. Good job sharpening that iron my friend! And good job with the post, I feel a little sharper now my self. Thank you…
Thanks Floyd! I’m always back and forth with the counsel thing. I have some people whose words I would follow to the T if I asked them BUT on the other hand… there are people in my life who… think it’s their place to direct my life. I really don’t think they’re that wise. The whole deal makes me cringe. BUt you’re right. Some people can see things in a way we can’t. I just worry about people who think they can discern God’s will for us, which isn’t where you were going at all, but it’s what I thought of because I’m awesome like that.
Very good words. I know there are definite times I get hung up on wanting to hear from God and then I end up doing nothing in the process. I keep coming back to Micah 6:8…God’s already told me what to do, “act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.”
May our lives be marked by living faithfully and serving fully rather than marked by the waiting for neon signs.
I love it. I think a lot of the time God already told us what to do and because we want to make sure our pastors, parents, second and third cousins agree, we just spin our wheels and get frustrated! Thanks Mindy!
Hi Jake,
It seems like the more complicated your attempt at living, the harder it is to discern God’s will. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you” So we should constantly strive for that goal, and bring as many people along as we can. That should make it easy to find God’s will for you in your life.
Lou Barba
stay away from my buttons!