Wasting FaithSample

DAY 7: IMPULSIVITY

When we walk by faith, we must seek God’s counsel on every decision. My favorite example of why we need to ask God for guidance comes from the book of Joshua. In Joshua 9, the Gibeonites (those who lived in Gibeon) heard about how Joshua had led the Israelites to victory over Jericho and Ai; the Gibeonites devised a plan to trick the Israelites into forming a covenant, which would prevent the Israelites from attacking the Gibeonites. Throughout the book of Joshua, one reads about how God will give nations into the hands of the Israelites, how God will deliver the Israelites from trouble, how God will provide for the Israelites, and so on. The Old Testament describes many instances where God tells His people that He has gone before them, that He fought for them, and that His people will be victorious over their enemies. The only thing that the Israelites must do is follow God, trust Him, and allow God to go before them.

When the Gibeonites approached the men of Israel, the Gibeonites pretended to be people from a distant nation. The trick was that the Gibeonites were not from a distant nation. The Gibeonites were understandably concerned about the idea of the Israelites conquering them, so they pretended to be from a nation that was far away, that would not have mattered to the Israelites, and would not pose a threat to them either. The Gibeonites said that they had heard of what God had been doing and that they wanted to make a covenant with the people of Israel. The Gibeonites had brought with them provisions in order to create a friendship with the people of Israel.

The Israelites were God’s chosen people, and all that Israel possessed had come from God. God did not give the Israelites victory over other nations so that the Israelites could enjoy wealth and fame throughout the region; He gave them victory to bring glory to Himself and so that His will may be done. The Israelites were stewards, not owners, of the gifts that they had received from the Lord. Rather than owning the home, the Israelites were in charge of caring for the home, ensuring that it was maintained, that it was run correctly, and that it was available for whenever the owner needed to make use of it. The Israelites were supposed to use what they had been given in order to glorify God and to accomplish His will. Instead, the Israelites abrogated their responsibilities as stewards of the gifts of God, opting to make a decision without consulting Him.

So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord,... [Joshua 9:14, ESV]

Due to the Israelites acting impulsively, rather than taking the time to ask God for direction, they ended up forming a covenant with the Gibeonites, who were located nearby. Had the Israelites asked God before taking action, the Gibeonites would have been unsuccessful in deceiving the people of God, but the impulsivity of the Israelites led to them being unable to conquer the nearby nations.

The problem with impulsivity is that we do not know all that we need to know in order to make the best decision. When we walk by faith, according to the revealed will of God, we are not seeking something good, we are seeking what is best. We are not seeking what is best according to our will but according to God’s will. When God gives us faith, He gives us a gift. It is our job to be good stewards of that gift, to use that gift to accomplish the intended purposes of God, and to wait for God’s guidance. God knows all, and He has the perfect plan. When we take action without consulting Him, we are essentially telling God that we know better than He does, and that we are able to make decisions for ourselves. God honors us when we honor Him. If we dishonor God by rejecting His will for our lives, how could we expect God to honor us? It is through submission to the will of God that we are able to see all that God desires to do in and through us.

When confronted with a decision, we must remember to stop, ask God for guidance, and allow Him to lead us. The Holy Spirit gives us faith so that we can believe in what He will do, but we must allow God to work in and through us. When we act impulsively, we act foolishly. When we go our own way, we go the wrong way. When we seek God, we see Him accomplish His perfect will for our lives.

REFLECT:

1. How should we ask God for guidance?
2. How often should we seek God’s input on a situation?
3. Have you ever acted on something that God led you to do? How did your obedience affect the outcome of your decision? How can you honor God in the decisions that you make today?

If you enjoyed reading this plan, you would probably enjoy the other things that I have written. My name is Daniel Teberian, and I regularly update my website with essays about faith, applying God’s Word to life, and whatever else God puts on my heart. I also write about apologetics; I answer questions from readers and friends (they are one and the same); and I answer questions about the Bible.

This plan has been adapted from part four of my series on faith (“Squandering Our Faith”). The full essay (as well as the rest of the series) can be found on my website.

Finally, if this plan has been helpful for you, I would love to hear about it. I write about my faith because I am passionate about it, and I want others to experience the joy of the Lord as well.

Thank you, and may God bless you.

Daniel Teberian

www.danielteberian.com

danielteberian@gmail.com