Wrong place, right reason

Have you ever found yourself in the “wrong place?” A place which initially seemed so right, but ultimately proved otherwise.

The wrong job. The wrong relationship. The wrong (fill in the blank)…

When we find ourselves in this “wrong place” we tend to want to get out as quickly as we can. But often times we’re unable to do so, whether because of fear, financial responsibilities, etc. So we may remain in that “wrong place,” all the while wishing for the “right place” to come along.

Now there definitely are some “wrong places” that you need to get out of right now! It’s not worth staying in any place that has become toxic, as doing so will only bring you further harm. So if you currently find yourself in such a place with no assurance of positive change coming, then stop reading now and begin making plans to get out! While those extreme situations obviously exist, more often the “wrong place” may present an incredible opportunity for learning and growth during a particular season of your life.

In that case, you may be in the “wrong place” for the right reason!

I believe that for any person such experiences have the potential for tremendous growth. But for people of faith like myself, we should view such experiences as being used by God to prepare us for His ultimate calling/purpose for our lives. I realize that’s easier said than done when we find ourselves in a place that feels so wrong, but I’ve come to believe that it’s absolutely true. I don’t know about you, but I tend to make excuses for God when I find myself in the “wrong place.” I say things like, “Obviously God didn’t bring me here…He wouldn’t do something like that.” Now yes, there are definitely times when we chart off on our own, totally apart from God’s intention for us, and find ourselves in bad situations. (The good news is that God won’t just abandon us there, and He can work good out of even our biggest blunders.) But ya know, the more I think about it, perhaps we shouldn’t be making excuses for God when we find ourselves in what we perceive to be the “wrong place.” Perhaps that’s exactly where God intends us to be.

But why would God want to lead us into these “wrong places?” Well maybe because what we perceive to be the “wrong place” is actually the right place in God’s plan for us. Maybe, just maybe, God actually intends for us to grow. Rather than being content with leaving us stagnant, He knows the best place for growth is often in those places where we’re challenged, stretched, etc. Now again, let me be clear that I’m not suggesting that God delights in leading us into toxic situations. In fact, I believe that more often than not when we find ourselves in toxic situations it’s the result of our own decisions rather than God’s leading. What I am trying to challenge here is the idea that God will only lead us into cushy situations, and that if we find ourselves in challenging situations then God couldn’t possibly have had any part in that. The Bible clearly doesn’t support that view, as prophets, apostles, heck even Jesus, were led by God into incredibly challenging and difficult situations for His glory.

Jesus didn’t just meander into the wilderness where He happened up the devil. Rather He was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness for the purpose of being tempted by Satan. Jesus was driven by God into what we’d probably all identify as being the “wrong place” for the specific purpose of being prepared for His earthly ministry. Jesus was absolutely in the “wrong place” for the right reason. If the Father chose this method for preparing His Beloved Son for His ultimate purpose, what makes us think that He’s changed His M.O. so drastically with us today?

I’ve already said that God does this for His own glory, which I believe to be absolutely true and of the utmost importance. But, lest we believe that God is some self-serving deity with no regard for humanity, if we’re honest I think we’d have to admit that it’s in those challenging times in our lives that we grow the most. I can attest to this in my own life as I’ve found myself in the “wrong place” twice over the past couple of years. One of those was the right position but the wrong place; the other was the right place but the wrong position. In both cases I experienced tremendous frustration as to why things didn’t work out how I had hoped when they initially seemed so right. As I’ve said in a previous post, hindsight is 20/15, so I now realize that I was in those “wrong places” for the absolute right reason. God has used those experiences and the challenges/frustrations they presented to mold me into the man I am today, and for that I’m grateful. Could God have spared me those tough experiences by simply directing me to the “right place” in the first place? Sure, He could have done that. But since God knows our hearts He also knows precisely what it’ll take to get through to us. While the “right places” in life may be the most appealing to us, it’s in the “wrong places” that we often learn the most about ourselves and thus have the greatest potential for growth. Given that fact, we should be thankful that at times we find ourselves in the “wrong place,” as long as it’s only for a season.

So if today you find yourself in a place that seems so wrong even though you’re sure it’s where God led you, take comfort in knowing that it’s not without purpose. Since Jesus Himself has been where you’re at, you’d better believe He’s going to help you get through this. Although it’s so hard to see it now, I’m confident that one day you’ll realize that this “wrong place” was absolutely for the right reason.