“God Told Me To Go”

I get very tired of hearing this phrase from people in the Christian community. Do I believe that God doesn’t put anyone in the places they go to? On the contrary, I believe everywhere people go is because God wants them to go there.

So what’s the problem then?

I have the belief that often when this phrase is used it is taking God’s name in vain. Something you’ll recognize as the first commandment in the ten commandments of things you should not do.

It’s easy to attribute decisions to some higher being that makes decisions for you. It’s harder to own up to something and say, “I think this is where I should be going. I feel confident God’s directed me in this decision, but I could be wrong.”

I absolutely believe that God directs our steps. In fact, he says he does in Proverbs. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

God does not place our steps, he simply directs them. By saying “God told me to do this” you are saying you heard truth directly from God. If that’s the case, you should write down what you heard and it should be added to scripture. You are saying God’s word is not complete. There is still more to be told. Better open up that Canon again.

I am positive this is coming off as harsh and as if I don’t understand that God is still involved in our lives. That is not the case at all. I’m simply saying that Christian’s should be more careful when talking about the things they’re doing.

By attributing everything you do to “God told me to do it,” you are making God responsible for possible wrong decisions.

Don’t get me wrong, God can and does work all things together as he wants, but that doesn’t mean that some of those things that he works together aren’t evil things.

Maybe I’m just playing word games by suggesting “I believe he’s directing me” vs “He is telling me” but I believe you can cause great reproach to the Gospel by attributing to God things that are brought from our own ignorance.

I have several friends now who are living lives fully engrossed in sin — things that even the world sees as wrong, and they say they do what they do because “God” has told them to. It’s clear whatever God they’re talking about is not the God of the universe as is displayed in the Bible.

The last thing on this subject is that so often people just want God to “speak to them.” to “reveal truth.” Often, these are the same people avoiding a 1,000 chapter book full of truth he has already revealed to us.

If you’re not accepting truth that’s free for your taking, what makes you think you’re getting extra dreams of truth outside of it.

The word of God is just that: the word of God. God’s word never changes. Look for truth there. The truth also never changes.

Next time before claiming “God’s told me to go somewhere,” think about what you are saying. Think about who you’re looping in. Yes. God can work all things together for good but that doesn’t mean that all things that happen are good.