Acts 19:21-22
English Standard Version (ESV)
21 Now after
these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia
and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 And
having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself
stayed in Asia for a while.
One thing that I think Paul and I are alike in
is the fact that sometimes I am v misunderstood or my intentions are misconstrued. I think this happened often to Paul as
well. My husband tells me that it is
because of my passion that people misunderstand what I am trying to say or
trying to accomplish. Paul definitely
had a passion for the Lord and wanted others to know and understand of His
loving grace. He also wanted them to
understand how to trust the Lord in all situations as Paul demonstrated time and
time again.
Paul had a way with being joyful even in times
of despair, something that I need to work on.
He set in his heart to go to Rome in Acts 19 :21 but it is not until
Acts 28:14 that he actually arrives there after enduring as storm and being shipwrecked. To top it off he did not go as a free man but
as a man under house arrest. Yet, Paul
says and lives a life being thankful in all things.
Paul recognized this life is a life of struggles
and said to die would be gain but to live would be Christ in Philippians
1:21. He knew that he was put here for a
purpose and he was driven to fulfill that purpose. I wonder what his prayers sounded like during
those difficult times of his life. Were
they like mine? I rather doubt it. He had a sense of joy, peace and confidence
because He knew the Father well. He knew
what he knew and he was willing to suffer all things because of it.
When
struggles come my way I don’t look at them as Paul would have. I rather start trying to figure out what I
did wrong or how I could have done things differently for a different
outcome. I go back in my mind and wonder
why I made decisions that I made. I
question myself, my worth, and fret about what I should do next. I need to remember that God is in control, be
joyful always, and do not worry but that is so difficult to do sometimes. When this world tells us otherwise we need to
cling to the Word of God, seek Him and know that He loves us just the way we
are. I’m still working on that and hope
that someday I can say I have accomplished it.
Seeking
Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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