Many things
in the word of God are easy to understand.
Other things leave us with unanswered questions. Sometimes you just have to accept what you
know and not get too caught up in the parts you cannot explain.
Such is the
case with Acts 16:6-10. Paul and his
companions wanted to go western Turkey, but they were “kept by the Holy Spirit
from preaching there” (verse 6). Then they decided to go north but “the Spirit
of Jesus would not allow them to” (verse 7).
Finally, Paul receives a vision to go to Greece, so that is what they do
(verses 8-10).
Now, here
is what I want to know: How did “the
Spirit of Jesus” and “the Holy Spirit” prevent Paul from going to those
places? Did they understand at the time
that this was the work of God, or did it just seem that “circumstances were
against them”? Did they attribute all of
this to God only after the fact? We do
not have clear answers to those questions.
However, there are some things that we do know for sure.
First, Paul
had a plan that did not work out. Oddly,
we seem to think that if we make plans and pray over them then God should bless
everything that we want to do. In this
case, we find that Paul was not in charge and we are reminded that things go
according to God’s plans and not ours – always!
Second, we
better get used to words like “uncertain” and “ambiguous”. In other words, since we are not in control,
things may not always seem to make sense at the time.
Third, when
they got to where God wanted them to go, there was work for them to do. A woman
named Lydia was waiting for them to tell her about Jesus (Acts 16:11-15), but
she would have missed out if Paul had not allowed God to direct his path.
I believe
that God still has a plan for us and that he has work for us to do. I believe that things happen so that I am
shaped, changed and directed by God. Do
I understand all of that at the time?
No! Can I explain it to you? No!
Can I see it “after the fact”?
Often, yes!
When I have
a mindset that says, “God is in control” then everything, even the bad stuff,
can have purpose and meaning. When I
live with my eyes open to what God might be doing here, then I end up living
for something bigger than myself.
Who is
directing your path?
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).
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