Has God ever changed his plans on you?  Honestly, I really hate it when he does that.

I’m a planner, and I experience a significant level of anxiety when my plans change.  Early in our marriage, I had earned my E.M.T certification and was enjoying working between a busy Emergency Department and a private ambulance company.  My ‘plans’ were to become a paramedic and work for a city fire department.  Well, guess what?  That never happened.  I studied, tested, and applied at every fire department I could for three years…and nothing!  When I eventually gave up, God told me he wanted me to do full-time ministry work as a pastor.

See what I mean?

God did this to one of his prophets too.  Jonah was told to go to a large city and tell everyone that God was going to bring total distruction on them because of their evil and careless lifestyle.  Jonah didn’t want to do this.  He simply wanted God to destroy them.  In his mind, why warn them?  Eventually, Jonah did what was asked of him.

Then, God does this….

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.  But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.  Jonah 3:10-4:1 (ESV)

The leadership lesson in this story is clear.  Jonah was God’s servant, not his advisor. (Bell, 2008)  The same is true of you and I, especially if we are in any form of leadership within the church.  God doesn’t need an advisor.  He needs individuals who can serve him and trust his methods over theirs.

What does this look like for you?  Where have you trusted him, and when have you questioned?  It’s not necessarily the questioning of God’s ways or reasons that is the issue.  It boils down obedience.  The more we obey and experience how his methods are far superiour to ours, the more our faith in him will grow….thus making obedience easier in the future.

I’d love for you to leave your comments / questions below.

 

Bell, J.S. (2008). The One Year Men of the Bible. Carol Stream, IL. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (www.Tyndale.com)