The storyline goes like this:
"The LRQ sweetened the deal and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. It's about a forty percent increase over what I'm making now. I can't believe how everything is working out perfectly. I was so nervous when we put our house up for sale — but it sold within the week. The moving company slashed their prices the very week I called. Then we just found out there is a great home within walking distance of my new job, and we don't have to go through a real estate agent to get it. If I ever questioned the rightness of my plans, I sure don't now! It's all working out better than I could have imagined. There's even a gym just around the corner from us."
Quite a few years ago, another ‘believer’ experienced such a convergence of positive developments. I wonder if he concluded that God was endorsing his movements. Out of breath, he lifts his head and strains his eyes to see the dock. Sure enough, there was a ship in Port Joppa. One can imagine him punctuating his excitement with a verbal exclamation: “Yes, things are working out!” He inquires at the ticket counter about the ship’s destination. “Far away, Tarshish, sir,” was the response.
“Wow! The further away, the better! That’s incredible! It could have been going in the other direction, but everything seems to be working out for me. Now, could I bother you with another question? Would there be room for one more passenger – namely me,” perhaps the out-of-breath runner asked.
“Yes, sir, there definitely is, and there just happens to be a late bird special on the fares,” said the ticket agent.
The runner rummaged through his wallet, and sure enough, he had just the exact amount of cash to pay the fare. With the transaction completed, the runner boards the ship, finds his cabin and crashes on a pillow.
That version of Jonah Chapter 1 may be embellished slightly, but it’s not that far-fetched. Wasn’t it amazing that so many things worked out for dear Jonah! A ship was in port. It was heading in the preferred direction. There was room for him onboard. He had sufficient funds to cover the fare, and he was able to go fast asleep in his cabin. Beautiful. It would almost be a picture-perfect convergence of endorsing circumstances if not for a few other details in the chapter.
But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa, and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah 1:3
So much for the alignment of circumstances! Even if it had been the alignment of the planets, Jonah’s movements would have been out of the mind of the Lord.
A combination of circumstances and remarkable developments are insufficient reasons for me to forge ahead with my plans. They make for a great story when I am rationalizing my move to others or even when I am trying to convince myself. But the will of God is not proven by circumstances alone.
God’s plan for my short-term future or the long-term emerges from a combination of spiritual activities, including an examination of motives, a surrender to His Will, a deep desire to obey Him, an adherence to Bible boundaries and a sincere bowing to Scriptural principles, lots of prayer, a patient waiting upon the Lord, thinking things through, advice from Godly Christians and those who love me most, a certain peace within and — yes, if all these other bases have been covered and there are some endorsing circumstances then, I can proceed with confidence.
Are your plans of God? Will they please Christ? On what basis are you proceeding?
More on this: How to Make Choices as a Christian
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