Direction by Rejection

“and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost” Acts 16:6

“they assayed to go …but the Spirit suffered them not.”  Acts 16:7

It can be hard sometimes.  When we are certain of what He is going to give us.  When we are certain of the best thing for us.  When we say to ourselves, “God is going to give me this, I can feel it!”  and then He doesn’t.  It can be hard when we continually get doors slammed in our face, or phone calls are not returned.  When the perfect job goes to someone else or the ministry does not seem to be taking off.

And yet, so it is. 

Rather than get angry with God or wonder if Jesus forgot His promise, “and lo I am with you always” these moments of what may appear to be failure, these moments of what seem to be rejection, are the very moments to praise and thank our Father for.

God often gives direction by rejection, so we know where we won’t go.

The staff of the Shepherd was used to guide the sheep.  On its end was a “crook” that often found itself around the neck of one that may have gotten too far off course for a simple nudge to bring it back.  And we are the same.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep, will protect us and guide us in spite of ourselves.  When we have committed our lives to Him, when we have committed our ways to Him, we give Him the right, the permission, to do His job.

Commit: to place into the care and protection of

When we commit our way unto Him, when we fully take our plans, our desires, our goals, our concerns, etc… and place them into the care and protection of the Lord, He WILL do what He has determined to do.  He will accomplish the purpose to which you have been called.  Even if that means keeping us from getting off track.

Even if it means that the Spirit suffers us not to…

Get the job…

Build the relationship…

Feel at home in a church…

Feel at place in work…

Make the sale…

Build the ministry…

Praise God that He cares for us so much that He shows us definitively where He does not want us when He uses that divine instrument of rejection.

Was He not also rejected… and look where it got US!

Take a moment and thank Him for everything He has protected you from.

SDG