Common sense vs God's way

As you were growing up, you might have heard countless times from your parents or teachers that you are to apply common sense in life. But in my ministry and personal life, I have grown to discover and realize that there is something more superior to common sense. In fact, through life and ministry experiences, I am now totally convinced and convicted that something else does supersede common sense, and that is to follow the way of God!

‘Common sense’ is defined in the Advance Oxford Dictionary as ‘the ability to think about things in a practical way and make sensible decisions’. Well, people may think I am a practical person and someone with enough 'common sense', yet no matter how practical or ‘smart’ I may be, time and again, God always proves that my human wisdom and logics alone cannot help me make the best of decisions in life and ministry.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 is well-known among many Christians but regretfully, seldom applied as it is.

If you are a college/university student, will you choose certain courses just because it’s the ‘trend’ or you are pressurized to do so by your parents? I have seen too many students fail in the courses they take up, or graduates who look lost not long after starting their career. They either don’t have the interest, or they have yet to discover the gifting or talents that God has actually given them.

If you are a career or business person, will you choose to invest in certain properties or buy certain shares just because of ‘pressure’ that may have come from family members or peers? I must clarify that I’m not against people venturing into all these. But, I have also seen many ended up in debts, burdened and bound by heavy financial commitments just because they didn’t want to be ‘left out’ when seeing others earning profit in their investments and thus blindly following the ‘trend’.

If you are a minister of God (e.g. apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, or pastor), will you take up every speaking engagement just because you are afraid to offend others for rejecting their invitation? Or will you feel obliged to join/attend every invitation by other ministers or groups of fellowship just because you are afraid to be termed as a cult for not ‘networking’ with others? Will you follow just any method or approach that other mega-churches may be practicing because you are desperate for church growth? If you are a pastor, will you give in to every single request of your ‘church attendees’ in the fear that they may leave you, thus decreasing the number of your ‘members’ and the amount of giving into your offering bags? Don’t get me wrong, I am not against ministers of God taking up speaking engagements, fellowshipping with other fellow ministers, practicing sound ‘blueprints’, or fulfilling reasonable demands/requests of church members as long as you receive the ‘green light’ from God.

Remember Daniel of the Bible? At a young age, Daniel and his friends chose not to defile themselves by eating the sumptuous and common delicacies in Babylon (see Daniel chapter 1). That was against the ‘trend’ then, and could have caused them to be in trouble. But the Lord protected them and promoted them because they chose to live by His way and leading. In Daniel chapter 3, Daniel's friends were then thrown into the fiery furnace just because they refused to worship the golden image made by King Nebuchadnezzar. But God saved them and He was with them because they were firm in choosing only to worship the Lord as their only God and refused to bow down to other gods (or idolize other things on this earth).

Then in Daniel chapter 6, Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den just because he chose to continually seek only God’s advice instead of seeking petitions from man. Why didn’t Daniel just give in and be like others? Wouldn’t it be so much easier? 'Common sense' says this would even save his ‘neck’ and save him from all the troubles! I would conclude that besides having the fear of God, he was also truly convinced throughout his life that he wouldn’t be where he was if it wasn’t for the wisdom and revelation of God in his life. It’s no surprise that no one else is like Daniel in history (i.e. someone who managed to hold important positions in the royal service throughout the reigns of so many kings in Babylon). Have you also noticed that every time he stood firm and followed only the way of God (notwithstanding the hindrances he faced), he was always promoted, time after time? Not just that, the name of the Lord was also always glorified every time Daniel trusted in his God! Do you also want the same outcome in today’s ‘Babylonian’ world?

Friends, God loves you. He always has thoughts of peace toward you and He wants to give you a future and a hope (see Jeremiah 29:11-13). You don’t have to strive with your own strength to survive in this ‘Babylonian’ world. He has paved the way to His knowledge, wisdom and revelation for you through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus and through the outpouring of His Spirit. If you would for one moment just ‘shut your ears’ from the world and come before Him, you too will have the ‘answer’. If you would choose to consult your All-knowing Father God who indeed knows everything (especially what’s best for you) in every time and season of your life, I believe without any doubt, you will definitely succeed and prosper in everything you do, despite the ‘trend’ and the logic of this current world. Amen.

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