Is there a particular area you are embarrassingly bad in? For me, when I get past fourth grade math I freeze in a petrified surrender. Any math beyond my ability to balance a checkbook, add, subtract and stick within the boundaries of simple multiplication and division quickly becomes an enigma. So, you can imagine when in times of prayer God’s math can also be confusing to my understanding?

Perhaps it is one part God’s Word, another part logic and a good dose of wishful thinking that causes me to develop formulas that create the expectation my math must always be correct? To demonstrate let me provide you with a simple example:

No doubt you have heard the saying, “Two Wrongs Never Make a Right.” It’s true that two incorrect actions do not equal a correct outcome; and part of what helps us understand this saying boils down to a simple math equation.

But what happens when we try to formularize God’s Word in an attempt force His will into our math? Let me present you with a series of personal and real-life examples:

Roughly three years ago I applied for a position I was highly qualified for. My work experience, character references, background checks all cleared the necessary hurdles. I passed both physical and educational exams and completed two rounds of interviews. I was even given a number, in cue,  that all but guaranteed I would be given one of the open positions. Furthermore, in that particular season, I needed the work; and the financial influx would have provided an ideal answer to a growing need. Throughout the process I committed myself to prayer, fasting and every day I drove to the work location and anointing the building thanking God for the opportunity. I spoke God’s Word of positive affirmation over the job and just waited for the phone call. Well, the call never came and I later learned they passed over my number three times! 

Simply put, I was devastated when my math didn’t work out. For the first time in my life I was mad at God, with God and couldn’t make sense of what did and didn’t happen. After all, I followed the formula and didn’t have the slightest doubt God was involved in every step of the process. Throughout that venture every door was opening and everything was trending in a positive direction while I was faithfully committing to the spiritual “heavy lifting” of faith, prayer and thanksgiving….it should have worked…..right?

No doubt I am not alone in such experiences and I have read more than enough stories, from Scripture to the great men and women of faith, that remind me God’s math and my math don’t operate the same way. After that disappointing season it took me a while to “make up” with God and I plummeted into a depression. For a few months I just existed between sadness, dismay, anger and sleep and the last place I desired to visit was my prayer closet. I had been in that room and even wrote a book on fasting; I had listened and quoted all of the faith preachers to no avail and even when casting my cares on God I felt as if He just dumped them back on me.

If you are expecting my story to suddenly shift to an amazing “WOW Factor” you would be wrong….sort of. Eventually, I repented and pulled myself out from underneath the bed sheets. I slowly re-gathered myself and started the gradual climb back toward prayer, work and patience. Since those three years have passed it feels as if  have met with more failure than success; but this brings me back to the title of today’s blog: God’s Math: 1 No +1 No + 1 Yes = All Yes!  
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Recently, my family made a huge moved from our home of thirteen years and a church where I pastored for eight. The circumstances of life necessitated a change and despite our best efforts to remain where were enjoyed life, family and community 2017 began in entirely new surroundings. While the year was still young I was excited with the prospects of several ministry opportunities that showed potential of opening a new season for me as well. It was a welcomed change especially as I reflected on the events of three years ago; but here again comes that tricky “math thing.”

With each new prospect I found myself adding all the factors up, just as before, and doing all the same things I knew to do. I attacked each venture with a new found hope and expectation one of these opportunities was going to open and, to the best of my ability, kept God in the center of it all. So, what happened? 

This week, as I was praying, working (doing my natural part) and waiting for the Lord to open the doors of His choosing I was met with “Two No’s” and “One Yes.” In fact, the “One Yes” was for somebody else as I was praying for God to heal their body….which He faithfully and miraculously did! And guess what? The “Two No’s” were for items I was personally asking God to performed in my life.

But something amazing happened throughout this process. As I received the Two No’s and One Yes, all on the same day, I heard the Holy Spirit tell me, “It is all YES!” All of the no’s in my life, and places where I felt as if I had been passed over, are irrelevant to the one yes God has yet to speak. For the person who had just received the great report of healing they were no longer giving thought to the despair of the “no” because they were rejoicing in the “yes!” It was in this moment, where I might default into despair, I was greatly comforted  because I finally understood Jesus was not concerned about the “no” or “yes” because He cares about my responses throughout the process.

My math dictates all the known factors must equal an outcome of my choosing. However, God’s math allows for many known and unknown factors that confound logic, and even defy math, but result in answers of His will. Honestly speaking is my life about, My will be done on earth as it is Heaven  or Thy will be done? I often reflect back on the events of three years ago and wonder, What if and the only answer is in every season God’s “No” is charting my course toward His “Yes!” The challenge facing me, and everyone who can relate to today’s post, is not surrendering the call of God throughout the process and becoming unfaithful while waiting for God’s next. 

In life it may be true we are faced with many more closed doors and no’s than open doors and yes’. But I also believe it is true when God provides us His yes all of our past failures and missed opportunities fade into distant and forgotten memories. God is developing a far greater person throughout this journey and it is for us to choose to trust the process and believe that His math will always reveal the correct answers at the right time.

Blessings – JOSHUA