The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day?" (Numbers 22:30)

Most business people I know tend to be task-oriented, motivated visionaries. And they will do just about anything to make their projects successful. This great strength can, if not properly bridled by the Holy Spirit, be a great weakness in their ability to fulfill the will of God in their life.

Sometimes we want something to succeed so much that we fail to listen to that little voice inside trying to warn us by directing us in a different path. Such was the case of Balaam. He started out as a man of God, but something came up that he decided he wanted to see happen. God was not happy with his decision. Finally, after a few encouragements were given him to reconsider his ways, something unusual happens. He is on his way to carry out this action when all of a sudden his donkey refuses to continue down the road. Balaam gets angry. He begins to beat his donkey. Abruptly, the donkey turns around, and to his shock and amazement, begins to speak to him and admonishes his master for beating him. Imagine a donkey talking to you! He warns him of the angel of death who is standing in the road with a sword drawn ready to kill Balaam if he continues.

There are times when pushing harder, trying to manipulate the circumstance, or pressing those around you is not the response to have to the roadblock. God may, in fact, be trying to have you reconsider your ways. God may be doing one of four things when faced with an obstacle: 1) He's blocking it to protect you, 2) His timing to complete this stage is not the same as yours and may need you to go through a process of character refinement, 3) He may want other players to get in place, and the circumstances are not yet ready for them to enter, 4) He may be using the process to develop patience in you. Relying on the Holy Spirit to know which one applies to your situation is the key to moving in God's timing.