A young man, we'll call him Joe, sat at his computer to write a cheerful email to a nearby pastor who was looking to hire a new youth pastor. A friend had sent him the email link and Joe carefully composed his friendly note with familiarity of association already well established. He 'signed' his name and hit send. While composing the email Joe was on the phone with another friend experimenting with his new cell, and who knew what Joe was doing. After he hit send, Joe mentioned the name of the pastor he had just emailed and his friend laughed and said, wrong pastor buddy, the one you emailed is in Ontario and NOT in Alberta.
How embarrassing. Joe then had to send other emails to fix his error. Then after applying for the wrong job, after hours of phone calls, prayer, and seeking God, Joe realized it was God's will to come to our side of the country instead of staying where he was. That one mistaken email caused the Lord's plan to be fulfilled, even when all Joe's desires remained in the west. Would he have applied for a job in Ontario if not by mistake? According to Joe- NO.
Our congregation has benefitted from this error as well: we have a youth pastor who passionately loves the Lord Jesus and tries to seek Him first. Could it have happened in a less embarrassing way? Probably, but the Lord allowed it to happen this way, and it served His purpose as well as any other method. Did the Lord want Joe to be embarrassed? Who am I to answer that; I can only say I've learned a lot of lessons that way in my own life. And I am not God to know by which method a thing should be done.
And we know that for those who love God, that is, for those who are called according to his purpose, all things are
working together for good. Rom. 8:28 ISV
This Scripture indicates that for those of us who love Him, God can use any or all things for good. I think it's just now I understand this passage well, and though I won't get into all I believe about it today, in context of mistakes we make and possible embarrassment, God can use those things to work good in our lives and other's lives as well. Perhaps even if it is only by us extending our love to our embarrassed brother.
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Sometimes we think a mistake means we're out of God's will or we've really messed things up, but we may not know that the Lord had a hand in directing our path. One mistake in buttoning her shirt made by a speaker led to me being freed from bondage (if you want to understand that one, you'll have to read 'the little button that mocked me' Nov. 11). As for me, I make lots of mistakes- most I gratefully don't remember, but I hope the Lord uses each and every one powerfully in someone else's life just to make the embarrassment worthwhile!
And while I will not be free from making mistakes in this life in this flesh, there is one thing I need never be embarrassed about- the God I love. He who made me, who loves me and has infinite patience with me will one day rule this world with righteousness (Ps. 72:1) and "...He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth."
(Ps. 96:13 MKJV)
The Lord our God is victorious and His will- will be accomplished!
...and he who believes on Him shall never be ashamed.
Pt. 2:6