Divine Direction: Discerning the Voice of God in a Data-Driven WorldSample

The Conflict of Logic and Divine Direction

"Simon replied, “Master, we worked hard all night [to the point of exhaustion] and caught nothing [in our nets], but at Your word I will [do as you say and] lower the nets [again].” Luke 5:5 AMP

Spirituality is not against reasoning, but the strength of logic is weak in determining some outcomes of our lives. In our data-driven world, where information is readily available at our fingertips, and every life question seems to have an answer online, it is only right to ask, where is the place, and how do we discern the voice of God? Do we put Google before God?

No one outgrows the need for divine direction. However, logic and past experiences often get in the way of God's leading. Jesus said to Simon, launch into the deep, but Simon replied, we've been fishing all night and caught nothing. God often starts where logic ends. To be guided by God, we need faith. Life's painful experiences are sometimes a reflection of our wisdom gap. If we know better, we will do better.

We make decisions based on information and experience, but sometimes, the outcomes of our choices are not only based on those factors. There are so many moving parts, both physically and spiritually, that influence our decisions.

One of the advantages we have as a child of God is that we have access to the information desk of heaven, also known as revelation. We can see and discern ahead of time what is coming. The challenge is when we try to fit divine revelation into our logical or experiential frame, but it often doesn't work that way. Hence, we dismiss what we see. It is imperative that to be guided by God, we need to have faith in Him.

We often want to know before we do, but sometimes, God requires us to act first, and in retrospect, we understand. Simon said to Jesus, "We've been here all night, but at thy word, we will cast our net again." Though it doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t add up, and the instruction seems redundant, but, at thy word, I will do it. And guess what happened? They caught so much fish that their net began to break. That's the power of obedience and divine direction.

God’s voice will not contradict the Bible. We should recognize the limit of logic and give room for transcendence in the affairs of our lives.