A guy goes ice fishing for the very first time. All of a sudden, he hears a voice. “There are no fish under the ice!”
He ignores it and moves to another area, cuts a hole, and tosses his line in. Again, he hears the booming voice: “There are no fish under the ice!”
He nervously looks up and asks, “Lord? Is that you?”
“No, this is the rink manager!”
Another example will help here: A student pilot was on his first solo practice flight when he was suddenly stricken with blindness. Frantically, he contacted the control tower and told of his desperate plight.
His commanding officer radioed back, “Don’t be afraid, just do what I tell you!” After being advised to keep circling the field until all was clear for a landing, the sightless pilot was instructed to begin losing altitude.
As the aircraft approached the runway, the officer’s voice called out encouragingly, “You’re coming in right on target!” The cadet, giving unquestioned obedience to his commander, brought the plane down safely.
If you have ever felt like you were “flying blind” through life, not knowing the future, and sort of grappling and groping your way through the darkness, welcome to the club! We all have been there!
The truth of the matter is: Without God, we are all ice fishing in an ice rink. We are all flying blind. We can’t see where we are going, have no sense of direction, and don’t know how to get there!
But in Christ, we have a spiritual compass, a guide through the darkness, a light to show us the way!
One of the most prominent and burdensome questions people have when it comes to God is simply, “How do I know for sure what God’s will in this or that particular matter is?”
Should I buy that new home? Should I take that new job? Should I get a second opinion on a health decision? Should I marry this particular individual? How do I know what is God’s will in each of these situations … and more?
The Bible has some very specific directions for how we can know and affirm the will of God, how to gain some sense of direction in a world in which we feel helpless, hopeless, and utterly lost.
In spite of how we may feel at the moment, it is important to understand that God will reveal His will to us if we are moving in the direction He has already demonstrated for us to go. If we are intent on going our own way, why should He bother?
But the question may be, “How do I know what direction he wants for me to go?” That answer is simple: God’s Word is the place to go for that direction! It is in the Bible that He gives us insight and principles to follow to discern what we do not know or understand about His will for our lives.
You may say, “The Bible is confusing and too difficult for me to understand.” Have you ever come to God and simply ASKED HIM to teach you and show you what He wants you to do?
In Psalm 143:10, we read the psalmist’s prayer asking God for His help: “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Like the student pilot, the psalmist called out to God, asking Him to direct him in the way he should go and to lead him “on level ground.”
One of the greatest problems we have in life is a sense of independence and the (over)confidence that we can figure and work our way out of almost any situation we find ourselves in. And then when we get into a “pickle,” the first person we blame is God.
In my walk with God through the years, I have learned that God, although He could if He wanted to, does not force His way into any person’s life. He is not some cosmic dictator, just moving the little human pawns around like He wants, and whether we want Him to or not. He will not force His way into your life.
He really wants us to ask Him to show us His will, and to do that early in the process. Rather than being the first person to blame and the last person to turn to, God wants us to come to Him in prayer, asking for His guidance and direction through the problems of life.
The story is told about a man traveling in unfamiliar territory. He came to a place where he had to cross some very high mountains. Knowing the way would be treacherous and the trip would be very difficult, he went to the nearest town and looked for a qualified guide.
When man after man offered his services, the tourist asked, “Have you ever been to the village where I want to go?”
“No,” one man replied, “but I’ve been part of the way, and have been told how to proceed from there.” Another answered, “No, but I’ve been to the top of the mountain and looked down on the road that leads to it.”
Finally a third man said that he knew the way perfectly. When asked the same question as the others, he exclaimed, “Sir, the village where you are going is my home!” The traveler knew immediately that this man was the guide he needed.
If we are to determine God’s will for our lives, we must ask God, the only One qualified to see us through, to lead us through the difficult paths ahead!
Don’t fly through life blind! Ask God for His help! GOD WILL GUIDE THOSE WHO ASK HIM!
God bless ….
Chuck Tabor is a regular columnist for the Times-Gazette and the News Journal. He is also the former Pastor of Port William UMC.
