Circumstances: The Gift or the Bow?
The Lord's direction in our lives is a gift. In other "Is the Shepherd Speaking?" blogs, I've covered some of the many forms His guidance takes. Sometimes this gift is tied up with a bow of circumstances that align "just right,"—but that is not always the case. So how do we recognize if God is saying something through our circumstances? Can the alignment of favorable events and situations be a reliable indicator of God's heart for us? Yes – and no!
When we hold more tightly to our agenda than we do to God's leadership, circumstances can make a horrible guidance system. If we're more concerned with our will than His, our underlying motives can make it difficult to discern God's voice. We'll likely feel confused because our motives and agenda make it challenging to see clearly. With our spiritual eyes dim, we use our natural eyes to examine the events and situations around us and figure out God's will. We tend to interpret circumstances consistent with our agenda as signs of God's favor. We also interpret possibly painful events as signs of God closing a door for us. Like driftwood on the sea, we remain at the mercy of every tide and current that comes our way.
Here is an example: Let's pretend I've always wanted to live in the mountains of Colorado, and I begin to pray about it. Logically, if I were to move West, I would need God to open a place to work and live. So, I pray for those elements to fall into place. But what if, after a week of intense prayer and reflection, I sense the Lord saying, "Ed, I want you to stay put because I have ministry for you to do in your current location”? Then, the next day I receive news that my dream joy and home are suddenly available. What should I make of these circumstances? How do I know if the Shepherd is Speaking or if I just want what I want?
Thankfully, you and I have the Shepherd to guide us! You and I are learning many ways to test and discern the Shepherd's voice. While circumstances are one of the mix of how God speaks, they are rarely sufficient in themselves. Things won't work out very well if circumstances are all we rely upon.
Now let me tell you about one obvious instance when the Shepherd guided Maritza and me to an outcome marked by His voice that included circumstances.
Before founding the ministry of Equipping Hearts for the Harvest, Maritza and I sought God's direction individually and together. We prayed explicitly about beginning a ministry allowing us to travel and train leaders worldwide to care for hurting people, the community, and the church. We talked with and listened to Him as we would about any issue. Here'swhat happened.
Individually, we both experienced His Shalom. In our sense that we should move ahead to start this ministry, we found unity (Col 3:15, John 14:27, Eph 4:1-3).
Because consistency with God's Word is essential, we prayerfully discerned and scripturally defined our vision. We were especially gripped by John 4:35, which reads, "Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!" (NKJV).
We checked this vision and our training methods against God's character and nature as described in Scripture. Maritza and I strive to serve as wise peacemakers in our ministry and personal lives (James 3:17-18).
The work of Equipping Hearts enhances grace-based relationships and fosters the growth of new relationships.
The direction we sensed was consistent with how God spoke to us over time, and we had wholly surrendered it to His authority.
As we pondered these strong impressions, we felt that the Shepherd was speaking clearly, leading us to begin a new ministry. Everything we received was consistent with God’s heart, character, Scriptures, Peace, and wisdom. We felt we were on the right track.
And then, after receiving all this incredible direction, God gave us one more instruction that seemed impossible. He gave us the names of 3 international leaders and asked us to connect with them to seek wisdom and confirmation before we moved ahead. That sounds easy – right? Our problem was that we lived in Florida, and these leaders all lived in different nations! We had no idea how to connect with them, share our hearts, and listen to their input. It seemed like it would take months or years before we could travel and meet with each one. This circumstance seemed insurmountable.
Then, to our astonishment, we heard that all three of these leaders would be in Florida within a few weeks of each other. What we didn't know, God had already orchestrated! In Florida, we sat down with each person one by one and shared our hearts and vision. Each person affirmed the call of God on our lives and the vision for the ministry. Equipping Hearts was born—founded in an unforced, unhurried way—in line with how God wraps His best gifts of clear direction.
Circumstances did not direct our decision – but they did confirm what the Shepherd was already saying to us!