Acts 16: 6 - 10

Acts 16: 6 - 10 “Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had told them not to go into the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed for the province of Bythynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the city of Troas. That night Paul had a vision. He saw a man from Macedonia in northern Greece, pleading with him, ‘Come over here and help us.’ So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, for we could only conclude that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.”

My church is finishing up the 40 Days of Purpose program, based on Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose-Driven Life. I planned to write this week’s Breads about it, because the five main purposes (worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism) fit well into a Bread-week. But, even though I’ve been getting a lot out of the program, every time I sat down to start writing a Bread about it, I had nothing to write.

Meanwhile, I’ve got other Breads I’ve written this past week as outpourings of emotion. Looking at them as I tried to organize this week’s Breads, I saw a pattern of unattractive feelings: anger and discouragement. I prayed, “Lord, you can’t intend for me to send THESE out this week, can you?” But He gave me nothing else to write.

Paul and Silas tried multiple times on the second missionary journey to take the gospel into Asia Minor, but the Lord had other plans for them, plans that worked for His glory and for the salvation of many on the continent of Europe. So I’m trusting that He has better plans than I had for this week’s Breads and that He will use them for His purpose in somebody’s life.

So how are you doing? Do you keep hitting a wall when you try to do God’s will? Could it be the Holy Spirit is preventing you from going in that direction, because He has another direction for you to take? Look for His leading and let all glory be His.

Brenda