So I have been wrestling with a hypothetical question for quite a while now. The principle of the idea, in regards the role we play in God's provision, is far more important that the example I am going to look at: If God told me that someone was going to give a million dollars or something else of great value to my ministry, should I go ask them for it directly, or just wait for them to send it to me?
What role does our initiative play in that process? Do we run the risk of screwing things up if we attempt to make them happen on our own strength? Or does God value the faith that action would take, and bless the outcome?
I have been reading some books by Loren Cunningham, who founded YWAM. Much of his approach to finding direction in life and ministry is based on observing God's provision. But how can one decipher the direction God is leading us if we are actively seeking the things we are eventually provided with? Was it God or us that led to a breakthrough in a particular direction? This directly ties to understanding God's favor.
A little over a year ago I had an interesting conversation about God's favor, and how we can recognize it in our lives. It was based on a sermon that someone in my Bible Study had been listening to, and there were three main aspects. God's favor is revealed in the interests and desires he places on our hearts, the natural talents and skills he has given us, and the patterns of blessing and success in our past. In my case, technology is clearly an area in which God has gifted me, and has blessed me greatly in those pursuits in the past. Camp work and lifestyle is something that He has given me a great desire for, and some of my talents are applicable in that environment.
There have been paths that I felt God wanted me to take, which I was not initially passionate about. I then prayed for a strong desire for what he wanted me to do, and received maybe more than I bargained for. But desire is not a full indication of favor, and favor is not an ironclad sign of God's will.
Now that I am having trouble making that potential a reality, it has been fairly disheartening. Did I hear God wrong? Was it all just in my head? Am I just not patient enough? What should I be doing about it? I am sure all of these questions will seem quite amusing and immature someday, when I am looking back at them with the benefit of hindsight, but right now I am here and not there. The nice thing is, that amusing hindsight thing will likely be true, regardless of what God actually ends up having in store for me. I guess I am just feeling more impatient recently, feeling like I am not making much progress on things or moving life forward right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment