Reading
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
Reflection
As believers, each of us will likely encounter times when we’re trying to discern what the wisest thing to do is…and whether we can trust that the choice we’re making aligns with God’s will for us. There can be related questions during such times. For example: How will I know God’s leading me in a particular direction? Will it take a long time for this discernment process? What helpers or guides are available to me?
Early in 2005, a television advertisement for Staples featured a red button labeled “easy” and was accompanied by this slogan: “Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an easy button for life? Now there’s one for your business. Staples. That was easy.” At some point or another, we’ve probably all wished for an easy button, because sometimes life can be vexingly complex. This is especially true when the decisions we’re trying to puzzle out are ones affecting our future, the future of others, or both. Furthermore, our circumstances eventually change, so sometimes the decisions we thought we’d set in rock don’t stand, and we feel a need to decide things once again. That can be difficult to navigate, because not only is an “easy button” nonexistent, so is a “do-over” button that doesn’t involve some tricky consequences.
One thing that amazes me, however, is that God’s always trying to remind us that we needn’t fret, because God is with us in our bewilderment, in our lack of clarity, and even in our doubts. Plus, when we practice the art of following little inklings we sometimes meet up with some quite unlikely and delightful surprises that can’t seem to be explained except by saying that God’s hand was in it.
When I attended seminary in Denver in the early 1990’s, I worked part-time jobs, trying to mitigate the size of my student loans each term. Sometimes, openings for part-time jobs were slim, especially ones that could simultaneously give me some ministry experience. I was walking along the halls of the seminary one day and spotted a notice tacked to a bulletin board, indicating an opening for a night chaplain in an inpatient hospice facility. When I saw this help wanted notice, I had an instant reaction (a positive and excited one), as I had a heart for hospice ministry but had never encountered an opportunity to be involved with it. My hopes shot through the ceiling in that moment, but then I saw the date up in the corner. It was already a whole month past when the job notice was scheduled to be removed, so I seriously doubted the position was still available. I decided it was worth a try and gave the number a call.
Lo and behold, the position hadn’t yet been filled. That ended up leading to a great conversation in which the pastoral care supervisor said, “I have a feeling you’re the answer to our needs and our prayers, Tim.” And I replied, “I have a feeling that this position is an answer to my needs and prayers, as well.” I came in for an interview and was hired to start in a couple of days. I spent my last 1.5 years of seminary in that part-time chaplain position, and I learned more about ministry in that role than any book or class taught me.
So why do I include this story in this reflection? Sometimes, when we remain patient, intentional, and open to following the inklings that God is pulling us toward (even if the chances seem farfetched), we might be amazed by God’s ability to “make our paths straight” as it indicates in our scripture passage above.
Are you struggling with something, wondering if it’s within your capacity to make a wise decision? Stay open to what God may be trying to communicate to you. In a book called On Purpose: Finding God’s Voice in Your Passion, author Magrey R. deVega reminds us that God will be there for us, even when things seem confusing or desperate. He writes, “Use S.O.S.—Scripture, Others, and Silence…check your interpretation against a faithful reading of scripture, and the counsel of wise friends, and the moral values and Christian teachings of the Church. Check it against what your prayer life, your gut, and your life experience might be saying to you. God speaks to us in a number of ways, often simultaneously, and never in contradiction with the other messages God is sending.”
Prayer
God, I pray that in all my difficult or confusing decisions, I might slow down, lean not on my own understanding, focus on you, and notice the messages you’re sending me. Amen.
