Does God have a Blueprint for my Life? Part 2

Passage

"For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.." Ephesians 2:10

Pondering

There are three dangerous results of this SUL.

1. Paralyzed by Fear - This faulty thinking can cause one to say something like, "I can’t see the next part of the blueprint, I’m scared I’ll miss it so I’ll just wait until I see clearer ." Often this means that Christians are hesitant to go into any form of "ministry" or make any major decisions (such as getting married or moving jobs) until they receive a thunderbolt from heaven, some clear sign from God (usually backed up by many so called "God-incidences"). This is not to say that God does not give specific guidance. He did not put up His nose to Gideon’s fleece (Judges 6:26-40), twice giving Gideon clear signs that He would use him to save Israel (something He had already clearly spoken to him). But, remember, this was at a time that Israel was under threat of destruction by the Midianites. It was a crucial and decisive time in the history of God’s people so crucial and decisive direction and action was needed.

2. Preoccupied Focus - This spiritual myth can cause one to say something like, "I must focus on my blueprint at all times even if it means I can’t see anything else". We can be so preoccupied with "not missing His best" that we miss opportunities to show justice, mercy and obedience to God’s revealed will (revealed in His Word). We may be so concerned with looking into His blueprint for our life that it actually becomes an obstacle, a blockage to really seeing the way ahead. We may become like a builder walking around with the blueprint in his face knocking into existing structures and treading on other people’s feet! It’s like the single who makes an impressive list of all he is looking for in a bride (that He believes to be God’s blueprint) that he fails to ask, "Why would such a perfect bride want to marry someone like me?"

3. Punished by Failure - Another dangerous result of such un biblical thinking is that it could lead us to say something like, "Oh no! I got it wrong, my boss will be mad at me as I’ve messed up the blueprint". A blueprint makes no room for flexibility. What is written in ink is the final plan and cannot be changed. This view sees God as some tyrannical architect who is not pleased with us unless we’re following His blueprint 100%. What happens if we believe God has only one partner for us to marry and we later marry out of desperation and find ourselves in a marriage we believe to be out of God’s will? Should we seek divorce and continue our hunt for Mr. or Mrs. Right or remain in the relationship under a punishing cloud of failure? Of course not, both options given are not God’s will.

Poem

If there's really only one right way for me to go,
And I sit around waiting but never know,
I'm like a rabbit in the headlight's blaze
That freezes in fear and dies in a daze.

If i'm forever seeking God's blueprint for me,
Then His justice, mercy and obedience i'll not see,
And I'll walk around with the plan in my face
And knock into all things and people all over the place!

And when I finally do make a move
I may find that I've missed the groove!
Then i'll walk under a black cloud of failure,
And sit around in fear year after year.

Prayer

"Father, keep me from the fear, wrong focus and failure of the "blueprint mentality". Give me Your wisdom to walk in your ways as revealed in Scripture,. Amen."