Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the Moabite officials. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Numbers 22:21-22 (NIV)
It could be that you are facing some obstacles in your life right now. You do have anyone to turn to or anywhere to go.
Though there are so many precious promises in the Bible that you are standing on, life is becoming unbearable. You don’t want to live like this anymore.
You’re now left wondering, does God put obstacles in our way? Well,
Yes, there are times when God put obstacles our way. But not all obstacles are from Him.
In this article, we shall look at why God puts obstacles our way and why some aren’t from God.
Why God puts Obstacles our Way?
To Protect Us
The truth is we always want things to happen instantly in our lives.
The idea of waiting upon the Lord does not settle well with us most of the time. But much as God promised you something does not mean that you will receive it now.
Just because God promised Abraham a son does not mean it was okay for him to have Ishmael (Genesis 16).
While God did not block Abraham, there are times he will block us from running ahead of the appointed time. But why does he do that? So that his children may not end up making mistakes that have far-reaching consequences.
Sometimes our mistakes can turn God’s blessings into burdens. If you’re trusting God for something, but he is blocking you, don’t fret.
Chances are he is protecting you from making mistakes. Be patient and know that a vision is yet for an appointed time.
To Help Us Grow
Let me be honest, I don’t like facing hurdles in life. When God promises me something, I want it to come on a silver platter.
Unfortunately, that is not the way the promises of God work. We need to be patient like farmers.
They plant seedlings and wait for the right season to harvest.
In the same way, we need to plant the word of God in our hearts. And wait patiently until they manifest.
When God puts obstacles our way, he wants us to grow. Obstacles cause us to get out of our comfort zones.
They help us also to see the things of God from a different angle. If the promises of God manifest in your life easily and fast, you will not appreciate the goodness of God.
Also Related: Top 11 Bible Stories that will Build Your Faith.
It is Not the Right Time
Going back to Abraham’s story, we see that just because God promised Abraham a son does not mean that the promise was going to manifest immediately.
Abraham and Sarah had to wait for twenty-five years for them to have a son.
Though God promises to give up his son in Genesis 3, this does not happen for thousands of years.
See, just because God has promised you something does not mean that it is time for that thing to happen.
Our God is very systematic. He has his own plans for us and wants us to walk in his purposes. But because we are human, we try to rush ahead of him or fall back behind.
Obstacles help us to wait for the right time. They help us to walk according to the plans of God.
To Test Our Faith
Someone may ask why God promises you something and then wait so long to give it to you?
Well, God shows us these things so that we can stand in faith. See, without faith, it is impossible to please God.
Obstacles come in our lives to test our faith.
To Help Us Deal with our Pain
There are things from our past that we need to deal with so that we can move forward with our lives. But most of us don’t want to deal with past pains and shame we would rather just skip the process. God cares about every bit of our life.
God wants you to heal inside out so that you can have abundant life. But for that to happen, he will sometimes put obstacles in our way to make us revisit our past mistakes and pain.
That way, we can deal with those things that we have buried in our hearts so that we can move forward.
To Align with his Purposes
Instead of Jonah delivering God’s message he decided to run away from Him (Jonah 1). What did God do?
He put an obstacle in the form of a storm to block him from running away from his purpose. The truth is some of us are like Jonah.
Even though we know God’s plans over our lives, we are trying to run away from them. Many of us are running away because we disagree with God, or we are full of fear.
But God’s plans for our lives are meant for good and not for evil. So at times, God will place obstacles in our lives so that we can walk in his purposes. And enjoy the life he has planned for us.
What to do When God Puts Obstacles your Way
Humble yourself
When Jonah realized that the storm was from God, he did not complain. Instead, he humbled himself and told the sailors to throw him in the water. When he was in the belly of the fish, he prayed to God and worshipped him.
It is easy to complain when things are not working our way, But it is better to humble yourself and worship God during such times. (James 4:10)
Talk to God
Instead of getting angry at God, ask Him to show you why he has put that obstacle your way.
Doing this will help you know how to deal with the issue you are facing. If you’re making a mistake or about to, talking to God will help you understand the right steps to take.
Now that we know why God puts obstacles our way, let us look at the flip side.
Photo by Stephanie Ecate on Unsplash
Live A Victorious Christian Life
Why that Obstacle you are facing may not be from God
You are blocking yourself
Sometimes we blame God for the wrong things that are happening in our lives. But at times, we need to see things from a different angle.
The truth is we can be our own worst enemy. We block blessings from manifesting in our lives.
How do we do that?
- By allowing fear to cloud our judgment.
- Following the systems of this world blindly.
- Allowing other people to control our lives.
- Living in unforgiveness
If any of these rings a bell, ask God to help you. If you are not sure, ask for revelation so that you can deal with the obstacle you are facing accordingly.
The enemy is Fighting you
Some Christians do not like talking about the enemy. But we need to stick to the truth and know that there is a real enemy out there. He wants to destroy you and will do anything for that to happen.
The enemy will look for legal grounds in your life to fulfill his plan in your life.
He may use curses in your family line, sin, and fear to gain access in your life. Be vigilant and live a life that is pleasing to God.
Don’t open the doors for the enemy in your life and when you mess up, ask God to forgive you.
Stand firm in the promises of God and know that God is faithful. He will never fail you no matter how big or small the obstacle is.
Do not get intimidated. Choose to fight back until the promises of God manifest in your life.
Also Related: Why we Struggle to Trust God? Top 11 Reasons.
But how can you tell if an obstacle is from God or not?
Ask
Yes, it sounds simple, but the best you can do is ask God (Mathew 7:7). If he is the one that is blocking you, he will let you know.
He will also reveal to you the reason why he is doing that. If you do not ask, you may end up drawing the wrong conclusions.
You may say that it is God when it is the enemy who is blocking you. On the other hand, you may blame the enemy, or God when you are the one who is blocking yourself.
Once you know why you are facing a particular hurdle, it will be easy for you to solve it. You will be able to pray the right prayers and take the right steps towards dealing with the issue.
In Conclusion
Obstacles may be from God, the enemy, or even ourselves. It’s good to find out why a certain thing is blocking you from moving forward.
Do not be discouraged by the things that are happening in your life. If an obstacle is from God, know that it is meant to lead you in the right direction.
God has your best interests at heart. If he puts an obstacle before you, then it is for your own good.
He wants you to experience growth and develop a Christ-like character. God may also place obstacles in your way to protect you.
