And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? Ruth 1:20-21
I remember my wife once said, “ forgive God if you think God has offended you!” Many of us like Naomi blame God for our bad decisions. God is sovereign, God is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Meaning God has knowledge of ALL things, very powerful and everywhere, but God doesn’t do everything for you! God has given you what we call the grey matter to make decisions. He makes himself available to provide you with knowledge and on top of it wisdom. He went further, to prevent you from blaming him, by advising that wisdom is the principal thing, seek wisdom and if you lack wisdom ask him because he will give you liberally.
The concept of blaming God started with Adam. He was given simple instructions “don’t eat of tree of the knowledge of good and evil,”Satan came, told Eve some nice things and convinced her he knew better than God, loves them better than God and they fell for that bait. The result was spiritual death, guess what, Adam blamed God!
The story of Naomi is what they call in our time “Japa” Japa means leaving your country to seek greener pastures in another more (advanced )country. Why that generally is a good concept depending on the prisms you are using to view it, others may think otherwise.
The problem of Naomi and her husband is that they lived their lives based on what I call today “Media Information “ or “environmental cum economic circumstances” and “peer pressure”. There could be more but for the purpose of our discussion let us limit it to these BUT, life is deeper than that!!
How does God want you to live? Seek his face, ask for guidance and follow his directives. God also expects you to use wisdom.
I was in Manchester in 1996. A lovely brother walked to my apartment one morning – “Dr Dada Canada needs people like you.” By his grace I had a doctorate in Chemical Engineering at that time and was working on some research and pursuing post-doctorate diploma. He knew about Canada Immigration policy of “Skilled Workers“. I want to believe that is what happened to the family of Naomi. Meaning “Japa” is not new . Someone even said Jesus “Japa” to leave heaven to come to earth . But the problem of Naomi and her family is that they did not follow due process. Any information you receive is raw data, raw materials are rarely useful or valuable in that state hence the need to process. Don’t just act on any information- process it.
What is the due process – asking God if Japa is part of his plan for you.
In case of Jesus, coming to the earth apart from prophetic indications that it is God’s plan we learnt from Isaiah 6:8 – That God was looking for someone He will send to the earth for human redemption! Even though Jesus’ name was not mentioned there, we understand the doctrine of interpenetration .
I could write a book on the long process I took to “process”the information to leave or not leave in Canada, to confirm from God if actually living abroad was his plan for me .
While the story of Naomi is about emigration, many of our troubles are not related to immigration, but it follows the same logic of not knowing the mind of God, choosing what we think is good from our perspective and when things don’t go our way we blame God . Hear the words of Naomi again : “Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me” “I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty:”the LORD hath testified against me,” and “the Almighty hath afflicted me?”Ruth 1:20-21. Really?
Friends, here’s how not to blame God and minimize our woes:
1. Be born again. Have a relationship with God. So that you know the person who can give you genuine directions.
2. Establish a good communication line with God so that finding direction in life is not a big deal . You need a career, spouse, relocation, which church to attend, have a hot line to God.
3. Wait till you hear God . Don’t jump ahead of him . Saul was told to wait by Samuel, he couldn’t . He lost his kingdom. You may be asking God to give you an open door in a specific area and God is saying “wait “ but we think waiting is a challenge. Just wait. Patience and long suffering are virtues and fruits of the spirit.
4. Watch who is advising you. The voice you are hearing. Don’t just jump in the plane or do a thing because your brother or friend or colleague has done it .
5. Process that information. Do your due diligence before taking a decision, especially relocation to a foreign land. It may not be for everyone. The way some people tell lies, falsify documents, divorce their spouses and involve in “arrangee marriages “ may be an indication that God has not approved that journey.
6. People die. You don’t have to relocate to a place before the loss of spouse, children and parents. Loss of relations is difficult to process or fathom but it is part of realities of life that we don’t need to blame God for.
Conclusion: Let is not be quick to put blame on God for our bad decisions.
Shalom!–
O taste and see that the Lord is good.(Psalm 34:8). I have tasted and found that the Lord is good. I do testify that the Lord is good.Join me to taste him.
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