Discerning God’s Will and Plan
When we begin to discern the opportunities that God brings into our lives, we see first hand what God’s Will is. There is never a shortage of opportunity on God’s side due to Him being incapable of sending them, there is only a shortage on our end for imperfectly discerning what is an opportunity and what is a hindrance.
Many times we incorrectly assume that something that is “in our way” is a hindrance to us instead of an opportunity from the Lord.
Take for example the story of the Good Samaritan.
“Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.””
— Luke 10:30-37 ESV
Here’s my modern translation:
A Jewish man is lying on the ground bruised and bleeding after being robbed and beaten by some local thugs. A Jewish priest walks by, sees the man, and chooses to walk on the other side of the street to avoid him. After that, a member of the priestly party walks by, sees the man and moves to walk on the over side of the street to avoid him. Finally, an average citizen from Samaria walks by, sees the man and has compassion for him. He gives him bandages and ointment. He puts the man into his vehicle and takes him over to a hotel. The man asks the hotel clerk to put everything on his card, and that he’ll be back one day. Put it all on the card.
According to Jesus, the last man was the man who he approves of, the man we should emulate.
The interesting thing about this story is that every one of these men was on a journey of their own when the man caught their attention. The priest, the Levite and the Samaritan were all traveling by the man on a journey of their own. Neither of the two supposed religious people chose to step away from their plans to help the man, but stepped away from the man to walk on the other side of the street.
If we want to discover God’s will for our lives we must be willing to take a detour from our plans, and perhaps even change plans all together.
Can you imagine being in the wounded man’s shoes? Having a total stranger help you up, bandage you, and then set you up with a hotel room with a seemingly infinite number of nights to stay? How could you not feel some sense of comfort and security, despite having your security seemingly ripped from you moments before?
The Samaritan man’s actions did many things for the wounded man:
Provided him comfort for his wounds
Provided him shelter and safety
Provided him a feeling of security
The Samaritan man helped this other man to not only have his physical needs met, but he took concern over the psychological distress that the man was in. Yes he fixed him up with bandages and a place to stay — but he went even further than just a night or two — the man gave him as many nights as was required for the wounded Jewish man.
Why would he do this? I think it’s because this wounded Jewish man just had everything taken from him, and the Samaritan could tell as much. He had compassion on the wounded man and recognized that not only did this man have his physical belongings taken from him, but he had his sense of security taken from him as well. How can you restore a sense of security that has been shattered? By giving away some of your own.
What guarantee does the Samaritan man have that his wounded friend won’t take advantage of him? Zero. But, what guarantee does he have that the wounded man will experience an easing to his life in the midst of this tragedy? 100%
Anything above zero would have been fine for pursuing to help the man. But a 100% chance that his efforts wild recoup a gain in this other man’s life? That’s priceless.
The Samaritan recognized the opportunity and he did what Jesus says we all should do.
How can you restore something where someone else may have experienced loss? Where can you recognize opportunities in your life for what they are, instead of seeing them as hindrances to your day?
How are you approaching your life? Are you so focused on your plans and your journey that you can’t stop to assist others on their journey? Do you hold everything so close to your chest that you have nothing left to offer others?
Do we forget that Jesus put everything on the line for us? Giving up comfort, strength, and the peace He had with His father in order that He might give us a 100% chance at freedom and new life?
“who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.”
— Hebrews 12:2-5 ESV
May all of us recognize where we stand with the Lord, what He has done for us, and how He desires that we live. Then we will grow in our ability to discern God’s will, and we will experience Jesus’ words come to fruition for us: “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:42)
I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
— Ephesians 1:16—18