Christians often worship a fortune-telling caricature of our Creator and Best Friend. Then we blame this fortune-telling god for decisions that are actually our own. You might think this is all a bit far-fetched, but chances are, you’ve done it too. I know I have.
Let me explain.
When, as growing Christians, we hear inspirational stories of how God directly intervened and led in the lives of other Christians, we often get jealous. Your friend tells you how God chose their house, or spouse, through an amazing story of events that can hardly be described as mere coincidence. He prayed that she would say some specific phrase. She said those exact words and voilá!
Why doesn’t God do that for me?
So we try to recreate the miraculous in our own lives. We make deals with God on our own terms, then interpret whatever happens next as God directly intervening to solve our problem, or get us out of a pickle. Or we just want to sound spiritual so we start telling stories about how God led us to the exact situation we’re in now, or how He told us that the thing we happen to want to do is actually His will for us. Sound familiar?
I’ve done this myself. I prayed that if I got accepted to do a PhD then I would take it as God’s will for me to do the doctorate. Then I told people that God led me to do the PhD. Looking back, perhaps there was a little arrogance behind my claim. One, I wanted to deflect from any perception of my PhD being a vanity project. (It probably was!) And secondly, I wanted to sound extra spiritual—as though I had a direct connection to knowing God’s will. Looking back, while I don’t have any specific regrets about doing the PhD, I probably wouldn’t have done it if I could have that time over again with the wisdom of hindsight.
This blaming of our fortune-telling version of “God” can take a wide variety of forms. You may have tried this in a business meeting. You want to get the church to agree to something so you lead with “We’ve been praying a lot about this and God has led us to . . .” Or perhaps you don’t particularly like what’s being proposed, so you respond with “Have we prayed enough about this? I think we need to commit this decision to prayer.” Try either one of those next time you’re in a church meeting and see the influential power of appealing to a fortune-telling god. (I say this facetiously of course! Please don’t do that!)
This habit of blaming God for our decisions started right back with Adam and Eve. They made poor decisions then ultimately blamed God for them. We’ve caught onto their habit.
The serpent convinced Eve that God was restrictive. There was one path for her and one path only that God ordained. His temptation emphasised the restrictions, making them seem all-pervasive. But in fact, God’s will for Eve was broad. There were many viable choices of fruits that she could eat. Only one was wrong. Today Christians often flip that to think that God is restrictive on our choices. There is only one career, one life partner, one option that God will bless. The others are all dead ends. Our job is to find the one path that’s in God’s will for our lives. But that is a deception. God created us free. He loves us way more than parents love their children. He doesn’t want to remove our freedom.
Parents, imagine your children coming to ask you: What car should I buy? Which course of study should I take? Which job should I apply for? Where should I live? Who should I marry? When should I have kids? Would you, as parents, want to keep on giving detailed directions for your adult offspring? Only if—God forbid—you’re a controlling parent.
This actually breaks the third commandment—taking God’s name in vain.
Here’s why we treat God like a fortune-teller. We want to avoid the hard work, risk and responsibility involved in constantly prioritising among good options for major life decisions. We want God to do more than simply tell us broadly what is good and bad. We want Him to tell us which specific option is best. Wouldn’t that make life much easier?
Think twice before praying, “God, I’ll marry the first person who speaks to me.” Such a prayer is foolish. It doesn’t make what happens next “God’s will” just because you put your fortune-telling god in a corner.
The strange story of Jephthah’s daughter (Judges 11) is actually a great biblical reminder of the danger of treating God like a fortune-teller. God won’t always intervene the way we expect, if at all, when we make crazy deals with Him on our own terms.
You may wonder, what about God’s leading in the choice of Rebekah as Isaac’s wife? This is a great case study (see Genesis 24). Abraham’s servant didn’t ask for an arbitrary sign but for something that revealed the woman’s character. If we ask God for signs, ask for one that makes sense. Remember Jesus warned that only the selfish demand signs.
What about the promise of Isaiah 30:21 that God will guide us to the right or left? This is often taken out of context. The very next verse gives clarity: the promise is for guidance in the absolute moral boundaries of good and evil. Not fortune-telling between good options.
God has already given us detailed instructions of His will. But the instructions are not fortune-telling: picking the winner or getting us out of a tight spot. He’s given us a beautiful picture of His character, principles of right and wrong, and godly values and directions for abundant and happy living. They’re all in the Bible.
God’s original guidance to Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:16,17 is a great template for knowing God’s will for our decisions today. I’m paraphrasing: “There are many good things you are free to do with your lives, within broad boundaries for what’s morally good and bad. Please remain within the boundaries of truth and love so that you are happy and prosper. If you choose evil, suffering will inevitably follow.”
God doesn’t give us freedom only to want to take it back again by giving us detailed instructions—if we’re spiritual enough to find them—for the one exclusive pathway that is alone His will for our lives. That’s the image of a fortune-telling image god.
Occasionally God does intervene directly and give a specific plan for who to marry (Hosea), or where to live (Abraham), or what career to pursue (Saul who became Paul). In none of these cases do we find the person praying to God that He would reveal His choice in these specific matters. God simply unambiguously gave an unexpected life-changing plan. The more we trust in God, the more often He will intervene like this. But He does so on His terms, not on ours. If He reveals His specific will to us for a choice between otherwise “good” options, follow it! But if He does not, it’s not because we’re any less spiritual.
Remember, we serve a God of love and freedom. Like a parent, He delights to see us exercise our own free will, creatively expressing our love for Him as we follow Him within the broad principles and boundaries of His truth and love.
Daniel Livingston, PhD leads a science and research team at a large utility in the Hunter region of NSW. He attends Newcastle University Adventist Church with his family.
