I’ll do it!
It was a risky venture-translation, it will be costly! Many years ago, I decided to begin a tissue processing laboratory for my company. It would require the purchase of very expensive and specialized equipment and the hiring of several additional employees. The revenue upside would more than adequately cover my fixed costs and I was eager to embark upon this venture.
After six months, it was painfully obvious that I had sorely miscalculated critical steps. Trained histotechnologists who prepare the microscope slides were in short supply. Reagent costs were greater than anticipated since my laboratory did not have a larger scale like my regional and national competitors to negotiate discounted rates with our vendors. And then there the intangibles, such as electrical power failures which are devastating to a finely tuned instrument like a tissue processor that needs to run on an uninterrupted power supply for at least six hours. Any interruption will freeze the processor and usually lead to completely ruining the delicate tissue samples. After I discontinued the venture, I reflected upon the steps that led to the failure. I was overconfident in my knowledge and the collective experiences of others. But the glaring deficiency was the most painful to admit. I did not first seek counsel from the Lord and commit the entire venture to Him.
So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.
Joshua 9:14-15 (ESV)
There are dire consequences when we do not first seek counsel from God before we embark upon any decision in life. The Israelites learned a painful lesson leading to them being tricked into sparing the lives of one of their enemies, the Gibeonites, who would remain a continual threat to them. Like myself, they were overconfident by their recent success and relied upon their own convictions.
The Bible stresses this valuable lesson in another passage.
Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3 (ESV)
Thankfully, it was only a financial loss that I suffered. However, in my life, there have been many times that I failed to completely dedicate a decision to God. The inevitable result is always a spiritual reckoning with God and I am brought to my knees in contrition and repentance. In many of those instances, I lost far more than income. I irreparably damaged a relationship. One would think that I would learn my lesson after every failure but I still stubbornly cling to my old habits, consumed by my pride, and convinced that I know better than God.
There is only one decision that will always guarantee peace and comfort in one’s life.
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
The Bereans Blog 