Interpreting Signs

So my family has been sick for about three weeks, off and on. What's the deal? Are we allergic to our new house? Are our immune systems shot from the stress of moving? Or is there a deeper issue at work here?

Some might be tempted to look at our health situation as a SIGN. Some well-meaning brother or sister might say, "Don't you think this is God telling you it was a mistake to come here?" Isn't it tempting to interpret life situations in this way? Things are going well, so we believe God approves of everything we're doing. Things hit rock-bottom and we just know there is sin involved or, at best, errors in spiritual discernment.

But I could turn the tables just as easily and claim this is Satan working against us. Yes, I might like to think the forces of evil are at work attempting to discourage the work here on the North Shore. Perhaps coming here was the best thing for the kingdom of God, and the devil doesn't like it.

Paul faced a similar circumstance when shipwrecked on the Island of Malta in Acts 28. Notice the following event.

Acts 28:1-6
2 The natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all.
3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.
4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, "Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live."
5 However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.
6 But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.

Here is a group of men whose opinions change with each situation. They have no firm truth on which to fasten their faith. They have no anchor. But we have an anchor. When our life takes ups and downs, we still constantly assess ourselves to make sure we are doing exactly what we should be doing. If we are doing our best to follow God and His plan, we have no reason to worry about "signs" in our life.

Caveat: Realize, I am not dealing with situations where we PRAY for God to lead us in certain directions, or to work in some way in our lives. Then we SHOULD be looking for His guidance.

May we bless each other and bless the Lord today,
Nathan