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Romans 12:2
Encouragement to fulfill God's purpose through Practical Life Application and Navigation

Is Satan Throwing You a Curveball?

How do you know? How can you determine if an opportunity is a blessing or a plot to distract and undermine?

This is NOT an easy question. Sometimes the most perfect and fitting open door ain’t so perfect, and a closed door doesn’t necessarily signal a beneficial detour.

Have you ever been in this quandary? Consider these two perspectives:

Angel-and-Devil-on-Shoulder[1]“Man it looks good, sounds good, feels good, seems right….so is God providing a stellar opportunity or is Satan tempting me by tugging at the desires of my heart?”

OR

“It will be hard to accomplish, so many obstacles to overcome, lots of time involved…is Satan trying to dissuade me from success or is God pushing me to work harder for something great?” 

When you have an important decision on the table that’s perplexing you, it can be absolutely maddening! How in the world do you discern?

Six important tips to help you out:

  • Prayer should always be your first step. Ask God for a great reveal as to the path he wants you to travel.
  • Avoid impulsive decisions. Be thorough and thoughtful.
  • Do your research. Don’t just decide based on the surface facts; dig deeper and broader.
  • Weigh your options. Consider all pros and cons, now AND down the road.
  • Seek wise counsel. Consult the people you trust most to be sounding boards and speak truth to you.
  • Ask yourself who or what will benefit from your decision. Does the end result benefit the kingdom of God?

Lindon and I had a situation a couple of years ago that really illustrates this process. He had wanted to move out of Arizona for many years and a perfect opportunity presented itself which would have easily accommodated his desire – job, beach and all! It seemed to be a no-brainer; an easy yes. After a flight across the country, many interviews and much discussion, everything lined up perfectly; all he had hoped for was at his fingertips and I was game too! But after much soul and spiritual searching, it was clear to him that the move wouldn’t have benefited God’s overall plan for our lives. After Lindon withdrew his application (MUCH to my shock), he received a call the VERY NEXT DAY from our pastor asking to meet with Lindon for lunch. Lunch provided a chance for Lindon to share our ministry vision with the pastor, who in turn opened the door WIDE for Declutter Now! teaching, focus groups and promotion opportunities. It was nothing short of incredible and completely unexpected. We’re still in sunny AZ, completely joyful and content, loving the life that God revealed to us and grateful for the amazing church and community support we’re blessed with.

Yes, it can be confusing. God may lead you to a seemingly closed door just to see how important it is for you to9732671_fca9ec46e7[1] nudge it open, or this may indicate a situation you should truly avoid. The answer isn’t always obvious and can be quite deceiving, but if you keep God’s will at the forefront of your decision making, the odds are in you favor that you’ll get it right!

Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Don’t be on the receiving end of Satan’s curveball!

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2 Responses to Is Satan Throwing You a Curveball?

  1. Joanie Bruce says:

    This is GREAT, Sherry! What a wonderful list of do’s and don’t to think about when you’re trying to make a decision. I think I’ll try it next time I’m in a quandary!

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