Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Navigating Pitfalls

From time to time when you contemplate the failures or mistakes of your life it is often a feeling of melancholy that creeps into our mood. As people, we cannot help but wonder about the “what if’s” we had done something different in a particular situation or made a different decision. Hindsight they say is 20/20, which means we have the wisdom to know our choice was wrong or right after we have made it and had a chance to review the outcome of that decision. But in the middle or the crux of our decisions we are not so sure of it being right.

Did you know it is possible to make the right decision every time? That’s wishful thinking you say?

I believe that God wants the best for us, and it’s His desire to give us the best in every area of our life. He says so in His word! If we are meant to have the best, why do we end up in problems and strife? Does God want you in pain constantly? I don’t believe so. Yes there are times that it is inevitable; however every quality decision in your life can move you from success to success.

The quality of our decision then in any given situation, the success of it, is not dependant on the amount of head knowledge we have, how much we know or not know about something. It is dependant on our fellowship with God! Let us examine this for a moment.

Every decision in life is fraught with the perils of undesired results. When we come to a decision that will affect our lives there will always be bad consequence or good consequences. It is at this point that we can have success or not. Not in making the decision but just before we decide. Do we ask God? Does His opinion count in our lives? David in Psalm 63:1 said “O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee:…” David was not just speaking chronologically, but in every event, decision or circumstance of life. “I will consulate you before I make every decision in my life. I will get your advice.” When we consulate Him, He can advise us on the right course of action that will have the most favourable outcome. Thus David said in another place: He can lead me safely through the valley of death; I have no fear (Psalm 23) Why? Because I have asked for his guidance and he takes me safely through.

Our fellowship determines how much we get direction from Him. If we are close in fellowship with him we will make fewer mistakes because we are guided by Him. We can enjoy the fullness of His blessings. Now if we do not have great communion with Him, we will allow ourselves poor decisions and it speaks of our lack of fellowship.
However I believe that even in our poor choices God has made a way for those who desire Him to draw closer.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

We have often taken this verse to mean that God can use all things, bad and good situations in our life and shape them into good. This is true, He is the only one who can use negative experiences inflicted on us, and turn them into a positive end. We must be careful to note however, that He is not the designer of theses situations; they have been cast on us by our poor choice or the poor choices of others.

Let us care examine what this word says. First, He is speaking to believers and not just to any casual person, but one who loves Him! So the promise here is that He can use all things and make them work for good. What are all theses things? I believe some of the “things” mentioned here are the poor decisions we make, the wrong choices we take in life.

The point I’m trying to make is that even though God does not condone our wrong choices, He understands that we sometimes make them, however, when we do make them He can use that wrong choice we have made and use it to draw us closer to him! How does this happen? It teaches us: the consequences of that wrong choice expose our inability to make sound choices based on our own criteria. It shows us we are in desperate need for someone to guide us through the minefields of life. It shows us that we need to reply on Him more, which in turn will lead us to understand that we need His wisdom in all things. Then that knowledge (God Knowledge) will draw us even closer to Him This failure in making the right decisions in life can be used to bring good. The good I’m speaking about here is the in birth desire to want Him more. David continues in Psalm 63: 1 …my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; David’s failures in life only sent him running back into God’s arms. I’m not excusing failures, but what I am saying is that even when we do fail, that failure will not push us further away from God but draw us closer! When we do make wrong decisions, because of the trial or consequences of that decision it will prompt us seek him even more. The one pre-requisite is that we know and love Him, no matter at what level.

So all of our decisions ultimately reflect our level of fellowship with Him and that level of fellowship determine the trials we face based on how well we have allowed Him to direct us!

To explain it simply, imagine you had to cross a hazardous piece of ground filled with hidden trapdoors and holes in the ground. You had no idea where these trapdoors are, but stepping on one would plunge you into a pit in the ground and cause you pain. You know one who knows where each and every one of the pitfalls are. All you have to do is ask and he will direct you through. The point here is you have to ask before you take every step. One who asks every time will make it through the field unscathed. Some may ask a few times and because they get confident in themselves they take one extra step, and because that one extra step did not land them in the pit, they will take one more without asking, but sooner or later they fall. There are others who don’t ask at all, but rush in and fall often. So it is with us in life, we run ahead, we make mistakes but there is someone who is able to direct every step and keep us from harm. We don’t pay Him attention most times. We only call when we fall in the pit. He still comes and lifts us out.

The key here is the helper; because each time we fall, he comes and picks us up, dusts us off and puts us back on solid ground. We learn from your mistakes to trust God, to lean on His direction and guidance. You learn we will have fewer falls, you learn to listen to His voice and His direction.

I pray that we mature to a level where we can walk with God like Enoch did. Be in constant fellowship with Him, heed His direction and listen to His word. What powerful and victorious lives we will lead. What examples we will be!


(please note I’m not dealing with suffering in situations as this is a different subject and another way God can use us to display His glory!)