When to Act

Genesis 31
1 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, "Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth." 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you."

Are you like Jacob? He had served Laban for 20 years, and had been cheated and swindled throughout the full 20 years. When this passage comes in, Laban's sons were accusing Jacob of stealing, even though Jacob was only taking his agreed upon wage.

What would you do? If you are like me, you would get out of there as quickly as possible before anything worse happens.

But Jacob didn't do that; well at least until God told him to leave. Not only that but God promised Jacob He would be with him.

What is your tendency? Act immediately or wait to hear God?

I'm still learning the proper action, I don't always hit the mark. Self-preservation comes in. If you are like me, don't get too down on yourself. It's a daily challenge. Look at a couple of the superstars of the Bible (well, among men that is).

Abraham, for self-preservation, claimed that Sarah was his sister in two foreign lands, plus he tried to fulfil God's promise by himself by taking the Egyptian slave, Hagar.

Isaac, Abraham's son, also claimed his wife as his sister for self-preservation.

If these two, who God blesses so much, still didn't trust God, or His leading all the time, is it possible that we might make the same mistakes, but still be used by God? Absolutely.

What areas of your life do you tend to act on before seeking guidance from the Lord? Can you lay those areas at the feet of Jesus and let Him guide you in His timing?