Continuing the “story behind the story” in 1 Kings 13, let’s proceed with more life lessons!
Life Lesson #2 – Avoid those who divert or distract you from your God-given purpose.
Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; they also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king. And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” For his sons had seen which way the man of God went who came from Judah. Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it, and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. Then he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.” (1 Kings 13:11-14)
I firmly believe in God’s supernatural orchestration and separation. As Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent, He sees all, knows all, and coordinates all. We don’t have the mental capacity to understand His thoughts, ways, and workings (Isaiah 55:8-9). But we have His assurance that He works all things for our good, His glory, and His ultimate purpose (Romans 8:28).
With those foundational premises, we can rest assured of His divine intervention in the everyday matters of life. From personal experience, I know He divinely coordinates events and circumstances beyond my ability and understanding. He brings people, things, and events together – and He also separates. It takes spiritual discernment and discipline (great life lessons) to distinguish between what He is doing and what He is separating.
On the contrary, the devil’s top priority is to counterfeit and try to thwart God’s divine purposes. Everything good God ordained and instituted, Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He hates genuine Christ followers. Although he cannot touch their souls, he does his utmost to divert, distract, and discourage them from God’s highest and best for their lives. Included in his evil schemes is the insertion of people, things, and events to cause us to stumble, turn aside, be discouraged, break stride, and fall into temptation and sin.
The Ongoing Spiritual Battle
This is all part of the ongoing spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-18). Which side will win? The one that gets the most attention and priority. If my eyes are on this world, its distractions, its entertainment, its agenda, and its values, it will dominate my life – leaving little time for things of eternal significance. However, if I discipline my heart, mind, soul, spirit, and body to stay focused on and surrendered to God’s best, He will illuminate the “excess baggage” that I don’t need and He doesn’t want. In that obedient, surrendered state, He begins His supernatural separation. He separates me from all distractions and diversions while separating me to Himself.
God usually doesn’t call groups. He calls and anoints individuals. Groups have a way of seeking consensus. Individuals face the prospect of obedience and surrender as God works personally. Yet even with the calling and anointing, each person must “die daily” in his or her complete surrender to God, His will, His way, and His ultimate purpose. This wholehearted surrender includes anyone and anything that diverts or distracts you from the race God has called you to run. God will not bring someone or something into your life that contradicts His purpose for you, His holiness, or His Word. That comes from only one other source.
So let’s develop the spiritual discernment to distinguish between what stays and what gets removed. Then, when God does separate someone or something from your life, although it may hurt momentarily, trust Him with it. As He asked the prophet Samuel, “How long will you mourn what I have rejected?” (1 Samuel 16:1). Don’t mope around, mourning what gets separated. Surrender it immediately. View it as heavy ballast that keeps you earthbound when your purpose is to soar. Rely fully in the goodness of your loving heavenly Father.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Nate Stevens.
Featured Image by ミナリ リョウ from Pixabay
SURRENDERED
YIELDING TO GOD’S PERFECT WILL
by NATE STEVENS
NEW RELEASE – NOW AVAILABLE!
CHRIST IN ME 30-DAY DEVOTIONAL SERIES
By NATE STEVENS
CLICK ON EACH BOOK TO LEARN MORE, DOWNLOAD A SAMPLE, OR BUY.
