When you are fully committed to God, He uses your unforeseen situations for His glory and your relief. Has there been times in your life where you “had to” to do something, say ‘had to go to a place,’ ‘had to go through a town,’ ‘had to take a detour,’ ‘had to spend,’ ‘had to pay,’ ‘had to be silent,’ ‘had to speak,’ ‘had to attend,’ ‘had to run’ or ‘had to defend?’ Each time we had to do something implies there was pressure or a compelling scenario behind. In other words, we wouldn’t do it if it were not for that pressure or scenario. Thus, at times we do things having no intention for them. We just had to do them. We come across such situations in our daily life. Parents do certain things for children beyond their desire. They had to do it for them; likewise, husbands and wives, and masters and servants. At these times God works everything for our good. This doesn’t work with all, even the church-goers, except with those who have fully committed to Him and have been intimately known by Him. For this reason, all things we do in life bring glory to God.
Jesus too went through one such situation. “And He had to pass through Samaria” (John 4:4). When He realized the Pharisees knew of Him baptizing through His disciples more people than John, He quickly left Judea into Galilee. In doing so, He had to pass through Samaria. He was driven or compelled for it by the Pharisees’ knowledge of His baptisms. He was going away from them, for they always sought reasons to kill Him. The Jews, as we know, do not pass through Samaria; they avoid it at all costs, since they consider the Samaritans as sinners and untouchables by the manner of their birth. But, Jesus passed through Samaria. Some say He was only taking a shortcut to Galilee. Others say it was in God’s foreknowledge. Now, if He went through Samaria just to get to Galilee quickly, He would not stop there for a drink, though He was weary and the Jacob’s well there. He would not have gone through it just for the sake of reaching Galilee quickly breaking the Jewish norm. Moreover, He would not stay there for two days. But He did go through it so that the Jews will refrain from following Him. In doing so, He broke the Jewish norm as well as made it void. God made Him an avenue for a relationship between Him and the so-called untouchables by men.
Jesus being a Jew had to enter Samaria, but God shaped it for something better. The entire Samaritan village heard the good news of salvation through a woman and her lifestyle. Did Jesus already know it would happen? Yes. As God, He had all the knowledge of God. Still, because He was in the flesh and His time to die had not yet arrived, He went through Samaria. God worked wondrously for His glory and fully accomplished His purpose. Also, Jesus did not sin by entering Samaria. The Jews who idolized the law to not enter it sinned. They did it with selfish ambition by a defiled conscience and mind; they sought reputation and glory. As Jesus went through Samaria God worked. It was because He was intimately known by God. Though He had to deviate from the normal way of the Jews, His inner man was holy to God. He did not fail, but triumphed for God.
You see, if there was no pressure from the Jews, Jesus would not have gone through Samaria. But since it was there, He went through Samaria knowing that if He did, He would fulfill God’s task. What we learn from this scenario is that when we have to do something, it is not prudent to be frustrated. Believe that God has something in mind. He works out everything bringing out only the good. He knows that which He wishes to accomplish through or for us. He is involved in every area of our life. See the following. “He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ And they said to him, ‘No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit’” (Acts 19:2). Now, Paul happened to pass through the upper country and came to Ephesus and found some disciples that were acquainted only with John’s baptism. It was unplanned for Paul to take that route while it had to be for the disciples to be there by God’s plan. And we know how it all came out. God does not let His children miss out on the Holy Spirit. When there is God’s purpose to our life, the “had to” situations do appear. So, each time you have to do something don’t be dismissive of it, but wait to see if God is going to get involved. If He does, you will surely enjoy it. It all depends on your intimacy with Him.
Both in Jesus’ case and Paul’s the following was ascertained. “Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Cor. 1:20). God did not choose the wisdom of the world to fulfill His purpose. In Jesus’ case the wisdom of the Jews was made foolish while in Paul’s case there was none to debate that which God achieved through him. People that say the Holy Spirit is not needed or deny His continual and profound involvement with the believers are put to silence. So, when you are intimate with God, know that all the “had to” or “have to” situations do their part in fulfilling God’s purpose for you. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). The “had to” situations will certainly be worthwhile when you have been fully committed to God. If it is a rule that God begins a good work in you and if it is He who perfects it, then your way is not your own and it is not always in your control. Paul did not say it by chance, but by witnessing the Lord’s doings.
Nevertheless, if such details are superfluous or foolish to some, they will be less effective for God’s kingdom. But for you who believe, it is the joy of the Lord, since “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled” (Tit. 1:15). It was pure to Jesus when He had to pass through Samaria. It was pure to the 12 to come across Paul. The proof is the work of God. Even so, when you trust God for and with all things, even your escapes, hideouts and journeys will be by and of His design, and through them He will use you to fulfill His purpose. No matter your area of expertise your only purpose is fulfilling God’s purpose for you. It is He who uses your expertise for good. Now, how a conscience and mind that do not believe is defiled is revealed from the following. “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (Jam. 3:16). They do not seek God’s interest; neither do they of man. Their ambition is to establish themselves as pioneers of God’s will. They create so much disorder with intellect and power that they cause evil to rule so none believes in God’s will for them.
Finally, to reiterate on the “had to” situations the following serves well. “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6). Unless we walk like Jesus before God the Father, our “had to” situations cannot be meaningful. If we abide in Him, our walk shows it. We will not have two shades to us. God will use us every time we “had to” do something and gives us relief.