The young man came to meet me about who to marry. He had prayed about it and was convinced that God was leading him. Though I had some reservations but I had to allow him to go ahead. He returned with a fallen countenance. The lady was already in a relationship, and she did not see any possibility of leaving the relationship. When I asked him what next, he said he would look elsewhere. What changed?
Friend, when you think you cannot be wrong, you are already wrong. With God, wanting to be right is more important than being right. The posture of a man who wants to be right is the posture of humility (James 4:6). There are no experts in the school of the Spirit. We are all learners.
It is possible to be very wrong in the same thing you think you are very right (Proverbs 14:12). What could have made a renowned prophet like Samuel miss it when it came to anointing the next king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:6-7)? The same Samuel that seemed very right was actually very wrong. The story of prophet Samuel should serve as a caution for us today. You cannot be an expert in divine leading.
The fact that you always got it right 99 percent of the time does not mean you don’t need to exercise caution in the next step. This was the secret of David; He was not a perfect man, but he was a dependent man (Acts 13:22). David would consult God to the last minute. He would not bank on the accuracy of the previous decisions (1 Samuel 30:8). No wonder he won most of his battles.
When Solomon ascended the throne, he made a statement that endeared him to God; “I am but a little child, I don’t know how to go out or come in (1 Kings 3:7-13).” When a king sees himself as a child before God, He would enjoy divine guidance easily. When a husband sees himself as a child before God, he would not lead his family into the ditch. When a pastor sees himself as a child before God, he enjoys ease of direction in ministry.
Humility is seen in absolute dependency on God. A man who assumes he knows what to do every time is truly a proud man. God does not lead the proud (Psalms 25:9). He does not argue with highly opinionated people. He allows them to have their way. But the fact that it seems right does not mean it is right (Proverbs 14:12). If the hand looks like the hand of Esau but the voice is the voice of Jacob, know that your sensitivity is under a severe attack (Genesis 27:22). Go back to God. Consult Him to the last minute. Only eternity can tell the effect of one wrong step.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria