Growing up my dad planted churches. Bruised by what people said and did to my parents I vowed many times I would never be a preacher. That set my expectations about my future. When I intuitively sensed God call me to be a minister we had a serious wrestling match!! He was forcing me to ignore my past hurts and go back into the fire when my desire was to be a business executive.
Through that experience I was able to identify with Cain’s feelings in his encounter with God in Genesis 4. Much debate has transpired about why God ‘rejected’ Cain’s offering. Many believe it was because it wasn’t a ‘blood sacrifice’. After assuming that concept for decades, it finally dawned on me God did not confront Cain about his “offering”. God confronted Cain about how he responded when God chose not to smile on his offering. I suspect my confrontation with God was of a similar nature! I’m confident everyone has had ‘run ins’ with God when He messed with their plans.
God asked Cain,
Gen. 4:6 (NKJV) “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?”
Did you catch that? God did not ask why Cain brought a grain offer, His asked him about what was going on within him. I suspect God’s rejection of Cain’s offering was more of a ‘set up’ to help Cain see his own self-centeredness and pride because that is what quickly came to the surface. Cain’s decision at this point would determine the path his future would take. Would Cain humble himself and seek God’s wisdom and approval or would he let his bruised ego drive him from God?
God put it this way,
Genesis 4:7 (NLT) “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
Think of this! One single decision would determine his future. That was exactly what I agonized over years ago and actually many times since then. Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler boiled down to the same issue. (Mt. 19: 16-22)
About five years ago, Connie and I had retirement on our minds when God walked in on our expectations with these words, ‘Are you saying you won’t ___’ (what He had placed before me). I had never before experienced the intensity of agony I experienced in this wrestling match with God! Because of what I had learned when God called me into ministry, I chose to submit to God’s choice for our future. Through that I have discovered greater trust in God’s Sovereignty.
If you can identify with encounters when God’s plans collide with your plans, consider the negative consequences of Cain’s response to God sovereign choice for him. If you have made choices to do things your way instead of God’s, please know that as long as you are breathing it is in your best eternal interest to humbly turn around (“repent”) and go back to that moment of decision; deny your pride and this time commit to choosing to do whatever God orchestrates for you to do from that day forward. You will never regret it!