The Apostle Paul was a go-getter! He was an enemy of this Jesus of the Bible but when he turned to him, experienced forgiveness and a new life in Christ, he was hard to hold back. But his ministry of telling people the good news of new life through Jesus Christ was not self-directed, but Spirit-led. There was a time when he and his companions were in some way prevented from going into certain areas. And the doors were closed more than once. They must have been frustrated, not knowing what God was doing. But they waited and then Paul had a dream one night of a man in a part of Greece, standing in his country pleading for Paul and company to come to them and help them. The door was opened and they brought this good news to these people and to untold numbers of others as well. There are times when God will give you a new beginning. But it starts with an ending of something else. We say that a door is “closed” to us in our lives. And the temptation is to wonder what we did wrong so that door isn’t open to us in life right now. Closed doors can mean that God is simply guiding you to the right one. When you trust your life to Christ, you are trusting him for your future. And that is both eternally but also right now in your daily life and in the choices you make. Don’t panic if the door that you really want open to you remains shut. God has his own timing and it may be that he just needs for you to wait, to trust him and let him get you to the right place at the right time. When we let God be the one to call the shots in our life we are letting him be the sovereign God he really is. It takes faith to do that. But the Bible says that God is pleased by the faith that you demonstrate in him. Paul was able to do some great works by letting God take the lead. And you will be able to live the best life you can sometimes by just being patient. God knows you and he knows the future. And he is putting you in the position to live the most successful and meaningful life possible. Wait for God and remember that closed door is God guiding you to that right place at the right time for the right purpose. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Acts 16:7-10 NLT Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. (8) So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. (9) That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” (10) So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
Remember I'm praying for you,
PJ
Acts 16:7-10 NLT Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. (8) So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. (9) That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” (10) So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
Remember I'm praying for you,
PJ