We serve a highly strategic God.

He is not random or haphazard but one who works in us according to a clear plan and purpose He has predestined for us. As Philippians 2:13 affirms, His working in our lives is in accordance with this purpose:
…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Our God who is at work in us is so in in accordance with His purpose in our lives – not aimlessly or casually. He labours away in our lives tirelessly to fulfill His purpose, not anyone else’s – not even our own. He knows His is not only better but the best. And as such where he positions us at different stages of our lives is not random or haphazard but strategic to those purposes. Therefore, in His wisdom and providence, God places us in different environments at different times in our lives for a reason and with a purpose. Hence the reason why it is of utmost importance that we do not take the places and environments where God positions us in lightly and nonchalantly shifting from them in search of our personal comfort or convenience.

We need to realise that these places He positions us in are crucial to our development, growth and preparation for the successful achievement of His purposes in our lives. Wherever it is He has placed us, (be it a particular church, a workplace, a specific ministry or environment) He does so with good reason, to serve a particular purpose that facilitates the accomplishment of His perfect will. We may or may not be fully aware of the reason why at that particular moment. Subsequently, where we work, live, study and the people we associate with on a regular basis take on a whole new meaning and significance in light of God’s grand plan and strategy of working in us; and staying put where He places us until directed by Him hugely important.

We have a responsibility therefore to work at discerning God’s purpose and will in our lives, and exercise extreme care not to short-circuit it by being casual or careless about the places He intentionally positions us in. This is vital and important if we are to actively cooperate with God for the achievement of His will and purpose in our lives. We have to exercise extreme care lest we unwittingly shift from where He positions us undermining His work in our lives for that is exactly what we will be doing when we do that.

So, as those in whom God is at work to will and to act according to His good purpose, discerning God’s hand in the places He positions us in and exercising extreme care not to shift casually from them ought to become the norm by which we run our lives.

In the next blog we will take a closer look at such a case in point with the aim of learning from him– our Father Abraham.