August 29, 2022

Passage Read: Acts 20-21
Meditation Verses: 21:11-14

Thought

The Spirit revealed to many people along the way that Paul would be arrested and imprisoned in Jerusalem. Many people took that as reason for Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But Paul didn't. In fact, he was traveling with gifts for the people in Jerusalem and was compelled to deliver them. He didn't take those same revelations as reason to drop out of the mission. Instead, he understood it just to be news of what would come, not direction from the Spirit to cancel his involvement with the mission. So a word from the Spirit still requires discernment to know how we should respond. Just because we're warned of hardship doesn't mean we shouldn't continue on in the path set for us.

Application

Not everything bad is unintended. The Lord uses trials to sharpen and develop His people. Our time here at CMA is no different. Though we desired to remain long, the Lord only intended us to remain a short time, about half a year. It wasn't failed timing, but it did reveal truths about people and places, and ourselves. There were problems here, but not everyone was willing to deal with them or even recognize them. Our intentions would come to fruition in a limited sense, so it's not like everything we did failed. And for those willing to examine themselves, there are lessons to learn. Even for us. Now we'll see what God has in store for us next.