WHEN YOU GET COFFEE AT REDNER'S INSTEAD OF WAWA
Evangelicals have developed a notion that we must “seek God’s perfect will”, i.e. that in every choice there is only one perfectly right decision to make that is “God’s perfect will” and if we make the wrong decision, we are “out of God’s will”.
I find that notion patently absurd and practically impossible to live by. Must I seek God’s “perfect will” about which foot to put on the floor first when I get out of bed? which pair of socks to wear today? which flavor of coffee to make?
The evangelicals I know would all agree that God’s perfect will need not be sought in these decisions. Only in important decisions. Like whom to marry, which car or house to buy, where to get your education, where to go to church, and what job you should take or what ministry to serve in.
But smaller “less important” decisions often play a crucial role in setting up larger “important” decisions, don’t they?
Let’s say I normally stop in at Wawa before work to get a coffee, but on one particular morning, I’m low on gas, not sure if I’ll make it to the Wawa – so I stop at Redner’s in my hometown to get gas and a coffee.
While there I encounter a man that I know who is looking for college students that need work for the summer. I happen to know college students seeking employment, so I contact them, and they end up getting hired and making enough money to stay in school – which eventually lands them a job, which becomes their career, which pays a mortgage and helps them raise a family…
All because I was low on gas and decided to stop at Redner’s instead of Wawa…
I didn’t fast and pray or “seek God’s perfect will”.
I just lived life and made decisions as they needed to be made.
Some people would say “Wow! That was a miracle.”
Miracles adjust or overcome the laws of nature.
The example I gave worked within the natural order of things – and that’s called providence -- God working within, behind, and through the natural order.
If I believe that God is always providentially at work, and if I believe that God is always in control and actively working all things together for good, then why concern myself with agonizing over the search for “God’s perfect will”?
Just watch the road in front of you and make the decisions you need to make as you drive – and trust the God who is working providentially.
I find that notion patently absurd and practically impossible to live by. Must I seek God’s “perfect will” about which foot to put on the floor first when I get out of bed? which pair of socks to wear today? which flavor of coffee to make?
The evangelicals I know would all agree that God’s perfect will need not be sought in these decisions. Only in important decisions. Like whom to marry, which car or house to buy, where to get your education, where to go to church, and what job you should take or what ministry to serve in.
But smaller “less important” decisions often play a crucial role in setting up larger “important” decisions, don’t they?
Let’s say I normally stop in at Wawa before work to get a coffee, but on one particular morning, I’m low on gas, not sure if I’ll make it to the Wawa – so I stop at Redner’s in my hometown to get gas and a coffee.
While there I encounter a man that I know who is looking for college students that need work for the summer. I happen to know college students seeking employment, so I contact them, and they end up getting hired and making enough money to stay in school – which eventually lands them a job, which becomes their career, which pays a mortgage and helps them raise a family…
All because I was low on gas and decided to stop at Redner’s instead of Wawa…
I didn’t fast and pray or “seek God’s perfect will”.
I just lived life and made decisions as they needed to be made.
Some people would say “Wow! That was a miracle.”
Miracles adjust or overcome the laws of nature.
The example I gave worked within the natural order of things – and that’s called providence -- God working within, behind, and through the natural order.
If I believe that God is always providentially at work, and if I believe that God is always in control and actively working all things together for good, then why concern myself with agonizing over the search for “God’s perfect will”?
Just watch the road in front of you and make the decisions you need to make as you drive – and trust the God who is working providentially.