Direction, Not Rejection
How many times has this happened? I set a well-reasoned, thoughtfully considered goal. I ask God to guide me to the correct outcome (the one I have in mind, of course). I ask a trusted friend for help or rely upon a stable resource for support. What emerges is the opposite of what I'd hoped for, or something worse. Emotionally, this feels like rejection. I suppose it is. I am slowly learning to understand what looks like rejection, tastes like rejection, and sounds like rejection is often divine direction masquerading in an ugly outfit. So much of pop psychology and self-help theology (can there be such a thing?) condition us to believe we should have what we have thoughtfully and prayerfully requested. Besides, aren't there Bible verses to support this outlook? Matthew 7:7-11 says: 7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will b