We must balance duty and call with commitments and desire. Strive to avoid declaring to be answering God’s call over previously established Godly commitments. We must look at multiple factors from God when pursuing His will and not just the open door. As we search out God’s will for our future there are 4 points to understanding this discipline, as referenced by M. Blane Smith in Knowing God’s Will:
1. The need is not the call. Because you know of a need, this should not be taken as an automatic invitation from God to meet it. Consider the sick man at the pool of Bethesda. He was not the only sick person there. When the angel stirred the water, there were many needs but only one healing. When Jesus came, we are told again of Him selecting only the one man who had missed the healing for many years.
2. By saying yes to an opportunity you can in effect be saying no to a commitment you’ve already made by depleting the time and energy you had for responding to the previous commitment.
3. St. Paul’s charge to “be fruitful in all good works,” means we should not take on more work than we can possibly be fruitful in.
4. Be wary, “open doors can sometimes lead to elevator shafts.” Make sure you look at all factors for God’s guidance not just to the open door, but thru the open door. Enter with Godly reasoning and Godly wisdom.
1. The need is not the call. Because you know of a need, this should not be taken as an automatic invitation from God to meet it. Consider the sick man at the pool of Bethesda. He was not the only sick person there. When the angel stirred the water, there were many needs but only one healing. When Jesus came, we are told again of Him selecting only the one man who had missed the healing for many years.
2. By saying yes to an opportunity you can in effect be saying no to a commitment you’ve already made by depleting the time and energy you had for responding to the previous commitment.
3. St. Paul’s charge to “be fruitful in all good works,” means we should not take on more work than we can possibly be fruitful in.
4. Be wary, “open doors can sometimes lead to elevator shafts.” Make sure you look at all factors for God’s guidance not just to the open door, but thru the open door. Enter with Godly reasoning and Godly wisdom.
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