Acts 16:6-10
English
Standard Version (ESV)
6 And they went through the region of
Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word
in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted
to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So,
passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision
appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging
him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And
when Paul[a] had seen the vision, immediately we sought
to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel
to them.
When we travel
my husband likes to take a map. We have
a GPS but he likes to see the whole picture, not just a portion of the
road. When he has that map, he has a
better sense of where he is and where he is going. Paul and Silas had their own GPS system, it was
directed from God through the Holy Spirit.
Somehow they knew where to go and where not to go. Their human instincts would have taken them
one direction but it wasn’t the direction God wanted them to go so they went
the way He sent them.
There have been
many times that I have tried to figure out what direction God wanted me to go.
I have traveled one direction and been stopped midway and sent on another
journey. I am not quite as sensitive to
the direction the Holy Spirit is leading me as Paul and Silas were. I tend to go down the path even if it doesn’t
feel quite right. I want to continue on my own path rather than
listening to His gentle guiding voice, so God has to put a big roadblock in my
way to get me to look another direction.
Sometimes I wish that I could just have a large map with those
roadblocks marked so I would know the direction I am to go and why to avoid
other pathways.
Because of this
struggle of mine, my daughter shared with me a story from a 10th
Avenue North Facebook post. If you do
not know who this is, check our their Facebook page. The post that she shared
is below, select “see more” in the comment section to read the article: https://www.facebook.com/tenthavenuenorth/photos/a.473698257452.261610.7932537452/10153197371352453/?type=1&theater
In this article
Mike writes that we need to take baby steps and trust our Lord. His plan for our lives and the direction He
truly wants us to go, is found through seeking Him and trusting Him. I believe Paul and Barnabus did just what
Mike wrote in the article. They took
baby steps, not big giant leaps. They
remained open to His calling, not matter if it was out of the way or right in
front of them. They knew their mission,
they knew their God, and they knew His voice.
They were given the best GPS system ever with the brand name, “The Holy
Spirit”. We may want a big map to see
all the roadblocks and pitfalls but God’s system is so much better than any map
but He wants us to simply trust Him and enjoy the ride. I must admit, I have not been enjoying the
ride, yet I know that I have and will learn to trust more because of it.
I have to
wonder, if I am quiet enough, open enough, and willing enough, could it be that
I would actually hear His call and go where He leads? As I seek Him today I continue to desire His
will and His way in my life. May I be
gracious enough to accept it and find my joy in Him. I urge
you too, to take some time in the quiet moment of your day, seek Him and seek
His direction for your life.
Seeking Him with
all my heart,
Sheila
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