“Give me some time; I’ll find out what GOD says in your circumstances.” (Num 9:8, MSG)
God also speaks through circumstances. Obviously this method of communication is deeply rooted in subjectivity, as it can be very hard to discern whether what is happening in your life is indeed the will of God, or not. Henry and Richard Blackaby consider the parameters of the term circumstances to be quite wide – “Circumstances are events that God uses to speak to us about himself and His will.” Unbelievers may consider events as coincidence, but believers tend to draw illuminating connections between the seemingly random elements of their lives.
Scripture is filled with thousands of examples of the way in which God used circumstances to speak to people. To Abraham the challenging task of finding the right wife for his son Isaac was an issue of great importance. In Gen 24 we find a detailed description of how Abraham coached his servant concerning what it is he wants in the woman the servant will set out to find. He performs all kinds of rituals (verse 2), has the matchmaker swear (verse 3), stipulates from which country and area she should hail from, and then racks out this stunner – God will send an angel ahead of him so that he does not perhaps incidentally make the wrong decision (verse 7)!
Where does one begin with such an undertaking? In verse 11 we read that on one late afternoon the despondent servant finds himself at a pit on the outskirts of a city, leaving his camels to drink. Then a strange thing happens – the man prays and asks that God will speak to him through circumstances. In verse 12 he prays: “please give me success this day” and in verse 14 “now let it be”, for God to, in this way, at this time, let him know if the woman is indeed the right one. Triumphantly verse 15 states “And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebecca … came out with her pitcher on her shoulder.” Lo and behold J. Not only is she very beautiful, but she is also a virgin. Coincidence? Verse 21 explains it beautifully – “And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.” In verse 27 he comes to the realization that “the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.” Did he hear a thundering voice directing his path? No. Did the woman come along with a halo as divine sign of her chosenness? No. There were many seeming coincidences, but the servant, in counsel with God throughout the journey, does finally find himself in a situation where what happens is indeed the will of God, despite the randomness of the events. Pro 16:9 illuminates this further – “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” Thus Jeremiah confesses, O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” (Jer 10:23).
For the believer nothing is ever coincidental. If your walk is a prayerful one, God will direct your paths, and the whole world becomes a source of Godly information. Become aware of how He can choose anything through which to speak to you. A job offer, retrenchment, a force of nature, a sudden death, a car accident, an unexpected gift, a strange conversation, a coin you pick up, a billboard on the highway, the formation of birds in the sky, a registration plate, a child’s spontaneous statement – all possibilities of illumination, where you undeniably know that God’s Spirit is speaking.
- Sela: Start practicing this principle, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and train yourself to listen to God’s voice in all circumstances.
- Read: 1 Sam 28; Ps 150; Luke 24
- Memorise: Luke 24:34
- For a deeper understanding: Read Chapter 7 of the Blackaby’s book Hear God’s voice.
