It is not a bad thing when God is the one limiting our options. His intention is to spare us. Perhaps our own stubbornness is taking us down a road. It could be that past patterns of God’s leading are even suggesting a particular way to go. Or it might be that others are beckoning us in a particular direction. Balaam had a different reason for being on the wrong path: he was following the money. He was willing to prostitute his gifts in order to make money by taking on clients God did not want him to have, and so God opposed him. This did not deter Balaam, however, and he was determined to execute the deal. In the process, he nearly got killed. Fortunately, he had a donkey, and she had more spiritual discernment than the prophet.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field.

God cut off his first option by having an angel stand in the road. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road. Balaam was back on the road! His donkey was moving forward, and he was regaining momentum.

Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.

The options got narrower for Balaam. He went from a road to a narrow path, and there are walls on both sides. Once again, the donkey sees what Balaam cannot see.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her again.

Still Balaam was determined to press ahead with his plan, but it was not God’s plan. In his mercy, God narrows his options.

The angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.

There was nowhere for the donkey to go but down, so she lay down, and took a third beating from the not-so-humane prophet. Why was the prophet so mad? The ass asked the same question.

Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me!”

Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes , and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.”

Do you think you have limited options? Make sure you see when God sends an angel to limit your options, because a limited option with God is better than broad options with man.