Pressure seems to push on us from all directions. We all face it continuing to add stress with more and more demands in our schedules. Even for those striving to simplify, pressure still remains. No matter your status or career, we all face pressure. Some comes from outside sources, and at times we put pressure on ourselves. It is sometimes healthy and sometimes not. Regardless, what do we do when we are under pressure?
These were the questions I asked myself when reading about Balaam in Numbers 23 & 24. Balaam is under tremendous pressure from another person, an important person, to perform a certain way. (Boy, can't I identify!) Instead of being overcome by the pressure or allowing the pressure to stress him out, he takes time away from the situation to be alone & seek God's guidance. "So Balaam went alone to the top of a bare hill, and God met him there." (Numbers 23:3,4) (A tangent: I saw here that when I choose to make time to be alone with God with no distractions, He will meet me there. What a comfort to my soul!) We see Balaam do this a second time. He leaves the demanding situation to seek God's direction. (Numbers 23:15) "And the Lord met Balaam and gave him a message." (Numbers 23:16) (Another tangent: Not only will God meet us in this place, but He will give us answers specific to the situation.)
But interestingly, Balaam makes a different choice the third and fourth times he is put in the hot seat over the same situation. "By now Balaam realized that the Lord was determined to bless Israel, so he did not resort to divination as before... Then the Spirit of God came upon him and this is the message he delivered..." (Numbers 24:1,2) When we are pushed and pressed on every side by worldly human demands, we need to take time, just as Balaam did, to be alone with God, seeking His guidance and instruction, His voice. But, when we leave, we should know better the heart of God. We should begin to learn His desires, so that, when faced with yet another similar pressure, we already know what He wants from us. Then being filled by His Spirit we can act accordingly in His will.
