Seeking Clarity in Murky Waters

My granddaughter, Ren, and I decided one day last autumn that we wanted to go swimming in our little, our little pool. It’s not much…four feet high and maybe 20 feet across. Sits ten feet from the front door of our home. When we wanna get init, we wanna get in quickly, right? So, we decided that we wanted to go for a swim.

Unfortunately, it had rained a lot and we'd had a lot of heat, and since the filter just doesn't work as well as it should and the pH in the water is not what it really ought to be, the water was pretty murky. You know…not icky enough to prevent a swim, but not clear enough to look enticing. Really, really cloudy and kind of green in spots. In al honesty, it was pretty gross. And God just gave me this revelation. Maybe it will have some impact in your day today, as well.

Now, obviously, we didn't get in the water. Or I should say, we got in the water and then we decided, no, we're not going to stay in the water. We got out of the water. We decided maybe we should clean the water first; treat it with chlorine or something. Wouldn’t it be better if the water was nice and clean; crystal clear?

Everybody wants to have nice, clean, clear water to swim in. Right? This murky water reminded me of a phone call I had recently.

I had an insurance agent calling me. Now, I'm self-employed and currently paying for my own health insurance. That means shopping around for health insurance and (like all good salesmen do) this guy called me.

The conversation took a turn though. The guy called me and said, “Hey, let's talk about your application; see if we can get you a better rate.”

That is murky water!

And you cannot find clarity of purpose from God, if you continue to swim in murky water. So I told the guy, “I'm not gonna lie…I'm just not doing it.” And I said, “ I realize this may sound crazy to you… I'm sure everybody else out there wants the cheapest rate on their health insurance and they’re willing to ‘fudge,’ so I get that. But I'm not lying to get it.”

My thought was, either God will provide another way, or I'm going to be okay paying more money for my health insurance. But I'm not going to lie to make sure my rate stays lower. I’m just not gonna do that. You can't profess your faith and ask God to use you in the lives of others and still want to swim in murky waters.

And so, what do you know? I am paying a little more for my insurance, and we found a way to be guaranteed to at least get the coverage I wanted to get…but I didn't have to lie to get it. And for me, it was far more important to be able to stand before God and say that I trusted Him enough not to lie…certainly not lie and then have the unmitigated gall to then ask Him to bless me. I knew this was a temptation to disobey and then not be able to trust Him with the outcome. And believe me, I could have use the savings on my health insurance, even though it was only a couple hundred dollars a month. What do you know though? I’ve had health insurance for about six months and it's always been paid. I'm not sure where the money's coming from…but it keeps coming.

Friends, we can't stand before God and say, please use me, please use me, please use me. Build my ministry, help me reach others. Let me evangelize and share Your goodness…and still swim in murky water. You can't ask for clarity of purpose…and keep swimming in murky choices.

I have to wonder how much more effective we would be as believers if we would walk away from the murky waters, walk away from all those little sort of sins, you know, that stuff that's, well, it's not that bad.

It’s just a little lie on my application for life insurance. It’s just a little lie on taxes. I’m only speeding a little. I'm going to break the law a little.

Now we're stepping on toes.

But be clear, you can't ask for clarity of purpose and see God’s plan…while swimming in murky water.

How many of us say we are seeking God but are afraid He sees what we do in dark places…and we STILL ask Him to bless us with direction and clarity, all while swimming in murky waters.

Don’t be deceived, beloved…even the little of sins will find you out. Num. 32:23

You know I love ya.

“Sure,” I said. “I don't want to offend you,” he says. (Beware of men that start a sentence that way.) “but if you really want to get approved for this insurance and get the best monthly rate, then I need you to fudge a little bit on your information.”

“Fudge?” I said. “What do you mean fudge?”

He continued. “Well, I can almost guarantee approval at the lower rate if we just bring your weight down a little bit on the application.”

“Um, what's a little bit?” I queried, even though I already knew the reason didn't matter.

And he said, “Well, we're going to give you an inch…we're going to make you 5'3 instead of 5'2 and we're going to change your weight by about 50 pounds…you know…just because we want to make sure you get approved.”

At the time of this conversation, I just beginning the process of starting a ministry…I'm in the middle of trying to tell the Lord, I want to serve Him...help other people see Him. I have been burdened for years with the thought of sharing His mercy and ability to help others forgive…I feel called to do that.

Was I TEMPTED to agree with these little “fudgings?” I can honestly say, not even a little bit.

I just told him I'm not doing it. I'm doing it! That, dear friend, is murky water! When you ask God to give you clarity, purpose, which way to go, and yet you still want to do things that are sinful or dishonest…you play right into the enemy's hands.