Leave or Stay

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When opportunities knock at your door, do you immediately grab it or think it through.

This dilemma struck me less than a year ago, but God is a faithful Father to his children who are seeking. He made His Word available, to guide us and lead us. Not to mention its free for all. 

I only have two words to watch out for, Leave or Stay. That time, I was reading the book of Romans, until I reach 1st Corinthians, 

Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth... In that case you would have to leave this world. --1 Corinthians 5:7-9

Wow! I was ecstatic, God knew this is the very word I wanted to hear from Him, weighing all the options, it's all logical to leave. Leaving makes more sense, not only according to me but according to the world.  But there's a part in my heart that is not yet convince, since I am a believer that God's word is consistent and does not contradict, I continue reading on, praying that God would reinforce my option to leave.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. --1 Corinthians 15:58

Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost --1 Corinthians 16:6-8

Oh no, now I am confuse. Not prepared for a scripture that leads to other side of the weighing scale, I don't know how to reconcile this discrepancy. My mind tells me to leave after all I already have 1 Corinthians 5:7-9 as confirmation. But why does my heart prove my motivation, is it really God's will or my own will. One more time I settle to continue reading His Word to seek answers and finally come to a conclusion immediately.

Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia. --2 Corinthians 2:12-15

At first I was mixed up with this verse, maybe because I was still hoping to see words blessing me to leave. But after checking the context of the scripture and seeking godly advise from discipleship group, God's answer became clearer to me.

That day I made the choice to stay and said goodbye to the new door opened for me. I was heartbroken. I knew I obeyed Him but why do I feel I failed my future self. Just when I started to feel I made a bad call of throwing away an opportunity that might never come again, I ask God to encourage me and reassure me that I made the right decision.

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. --2 Corinthians 4:16-18

As for my issues that I might be wasting a great opportunity, the Lord rebuked me in my quiet time the next day:  

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? --Romans 8:32

Looking back in this crossroad I had last year, I am glad I seek His heart before making the decision. More than me seeking God, I knew that it is God who first seek and found me.