Guidance

I’ve been thinking a little about the guidance of God of late and how He works in my own life. In Acts 16 the great Apostle Paul was prevented from going to Asia and as I studied this I began to realize that God works in our lives by not only opening doors but by closing doors. I suppose one could call this guidance by prevention. It is good to know what God allows for us but also imperative for us to know what He does not allow. Usually the latter of the two is the hardest because it is usually something we really want to do and when God says NO the real measure of spirituality comes out. I have often said to our leaders that you will always know the measure of a person more by seeing their reaction after been told not to do something as regards doing what we ask them. What God prevents, denies and keeps away from us is as much divine guidance as what He permits and opens up to us. Every opportunity you didn’t get and every call that didn’t come was as much God’s guidance as those that did.
When my wee grandkids come to our house we guide them as much by prevention, the stairs get blocked off and the bins are jammed in the ally at the back to prevent them going to the road. This is a perfect example of the guidance of God; every road that is blocked is just to deflect us back to what is permitted. The only time Ben or Maddie doesn’t like this arrangement is when someone else steps over the blockage. The same goes for us when we see someone do what God will not let us do. Remember God is not doing the same things in any two lives…and God knows what He’s doing.