When God answers!

Sorry that I’ve been silent for a while. I’ve had a lot of things going on. I am at the crossroads in my life and have been praying about a lot of things. A lot of changes are taking place in my life right now.

I think God recently answered my prayers though His answer came in a form that I least expected. I have been praying about whether to take an opportunity which had come up for me to work. Though it appeared to be a good opportunity I just wasn’t convinced that God would have me to take it. So I had been in a dilemma for a long while and didn’t know whether to turn it down especially given I didn’t really have a plan B.

What complicated the situation for me was the fact that deep in my heart I feel called to work for God fulltime. Everyday I feel more and more that my purpose in this life is to share the Good news in conjunction with what I have learned in school. Accepting this job or any other offer at that would be in conflict with this conviction that I should work for God fulltime. There would eventually be a conflict because the job would require a significant time commitment. I would pretty much be committing my life.

God’s answer

God answered that prayer in the form of me not passing this last exam. I must be honest; I was really disappointed at first but quickly realized that maybe that was God’s answer that I have been praying for after all! The following verse gave me some encouragement:

[23] The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
[24] Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. Psalms 37:23, 24.

For me to be licensed to practice in any state, I have to pass this last board exam. The next options for me to take the exam are in May and November and it is not a cheap exam. For now it seems more likely that I will take the exam in November 2011 hoping to be licensed at the earliest in February 2012. If I am to take it in May then the earliest I am to be licensed would be August 2011. This all depends on whether God allows me to pass of course at the next try.

So on one end this is a setback if I am to join the job market and work. But if I am to do ministry, God might not have plans for me to join the workforce, ever. I would still have to be licensed to do ministry in conjunction with my training but that would be on His timetable. So from the world’s perspective, this is a setback as I will not be able to be licensed for another year most likely. But if God is indeed preparing me for and intending to be my boss, then everything is happening according to His timetable and He knows neither haste nor delay but is always on time, His time as is written:

[25] And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
[26] And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
[27] And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. Joel 2:25-27.

Even though I will lose time, the Lord will make up for that time and will turn this setback into a stepping stone if indeed it is His will for me to work for Him. The time or progress I appear to lose now from the world’s perspective, He will use towards what He really wants me to do for Him.

So on one end I am disappointed as the board exam is not something anyone would want to take again and a very expensive one at that and it will be a while before I get licensed. On the other end I am glad! I was so confused and didn’t know what to do about the firm job offer. Had I been licensable, I would have probably ended up taking the job or any other when God might have wanted me to do otherwise. But even if I had wanted to take the job, the door would still be closed because I ended up not passing the exam.

So I am glad that in the case I would have taken the job and had it been against His will, He has prevented it altogether. By His will and mercy He has prevented me from otherwise going against His will and wasting time which could have been used according to His will. And if it is indeed His will for me to work for Him, that is what He will bring to pass in my life. Kind of reminds me of Jonah’s story. God clearly told him what he was to do but he had other ideas. The principle I am addressing by quoting Jonah’s story is that God’s will always prevails. He brings to pass His will and he opens and closes doors as it serves His purpose. I like the story and here is part of it:

Chapter 1

1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

3 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.

4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.

10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.

15 So they look up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.

17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Chapter 2

1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,

2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

 The dilemma was all about me choosing to work in the world or to go into fulltime ministry and work for God; whether to dedicate my life and energy to pursuing a career or to serving God instead. I have an answer and I pray that He will continue to shape the course of my life as He has been doing, even if it might involve experiences that I might not particularly like, and that I will be able to accept His will when that happens.

So 2011 is also a year that if God is willing, much will be done in my life. I have been working on something and pray about it everyday if it is how God would have me to use this coming year. I will not reveal what it is for now but at some point during the year, so it will be a surprise. Even though I have a setback on one hand, the one year delay might turn out to be the best thing that happened to me. All I know is that if I put Him first, all will work out according to His will as is written:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take no thought therefore for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself…Matthew 6:33, 34.