“So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.” – Joshua 9:14
At a crucial moment during their conquest of the Promised Land, Joshua and the Israelites made a foolish mistake that remains all too common today. They relied on their analysis and reasoning about the situation rather than seeking God’s input. They’d been told not to make treaties with local groups, but when the Gibeonites claimed to have traveled from far away to make a peace treaty, Joshua was content to just review their fabricated evidence. He and the other Israelites spent absolutely no time in prayer.
Christians often do the same thing today! We can be so sure of our gut, the evidence of our eyes, or our brilliant reasoning that we forget to consult the all-knowing, all-wise God of the universe. Does that describe you? When presented with a difficult decision or complicated situation is your first instinct to start praying about it or do you primarily trust your instincts and ability to sort through the evidence and arguments? It isn’t wrong to carefully look at the data, review everything available, and think about it. However, you must also cultivate the habit of then laying all that before God in prayer. Review Scripture relevant to the situation and see if God’s answer is different from yours, talk to God, and listen carefully.
God can make sense of things that don’t make sense. He can also reveal truths that we can’t see. Whenever you’re presented with an important decision or confusing conundrum, make time for prayer, meditation, and Scripture reading. Don’t be afraid to call time out and take the matter to the Lord. Be confident in doing so. Don’t make the mistake Joshua did and foolishly rely only on yourself and your analysis. #FollowJesus