Do you see how God is using your circumstances as a rudder in your life? Genesis 32-35

Genesis 34:30 - 35:1 (NASBStr)

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and my men being few in number, they will gather together against me and attack me and I will be destroyed, I and my household.” But they said, “Should he treat our sister as a harlot?”

CHAPTER 35

Jacob Moves to Bethel

 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”

In chapter 34 of Genesis we read the story about Jacob's daughter, Dinah, who was raped and defiled by the men of Schechem.  Jacob took a "let's see what will happen" approach and did nothing to avenge the treatment of Dinah.   Simeon and Levi were Dinah's brothers and took matters into their own hands.   Although they told the men of Schechem if they simply became circumcised like they were, they would give Dinah to them.   When the men of Schechem were in pain from the circumcision, Simeon and Levi entered the city and killed every male.   This brought shame to Jacob and he now felt as though his reputation in the land would be of certain disaster.  We have all had times in our lives with family, friend, or acquaintance have done something that puts us in calamity.   Yet, notice what happens in the next chapter around this story.   The chapter begins with the word, "then."   As a result of this calamity, God speaks to Jacob and moves him to Bethel.  Bethel is where God met Jacob years prior when he was running away from the anger of his brother Esau instead of, as here, back toward Esau.  Jacob had many chances to go to Bethel prior to this, but for reasons we are not told, does not.   Yet, that is where God said He would bless him.   In this case, God uses the difficulty Jacob has with those around him to move him where He originally wanted him to go.   God often uses crisis and calamity in our lives as rudders to move us where he wants us to be.    God certainly would prefer to work in our hearts rather than our circumstances, but never-the-less He tends to need circumstances to get to our hearts.   When we are in the middle of a hardship, difficult moment, or dire plight, we need to know that God is going to use that circumstance to steer us where He wants us.   Don't get so fogged by the events to see the compass they provide.   God is working all the time.   The set of circumstances you are experiencing is just another tool God is using to get you to move closer to where He wants you to be.