6TH WEEK OF EASTER
The Lord opened her heart.
Does it ever feel as if God is putting obstacles in your path, and you don’t know why? Paul wanted to preach the good news in the province of Asia, but God prevented him from going there. Then Paul had a dream of a man inviting him to Macedonia (Acts 16:6-10). That brings him to his meeting with Lydia, a fabric merchant living in the Macedonian city of Philippi.
Lydia is a little-known but important figure in the early Church. She is, in fact, Europe’s first recorded convert to Christianity. She is also a good example of how newfound faith can light a fire in us and spur us to action. After Lydia and her household are baptized, she insists that Paul and his companions stay at her home. Likely a confident and capable businesswoman, Lydia seems to have been instrumental in organizing the first church in Europe!
It certainly seems that Lydia was the right person in the right place at the right time. But Paul and Lydia weren’t puppets with God pulling the strings. In fact, it would have been easy for either of them not to respond to God’s promptings. Paul, for instance, could have decided that his dream was just a dream and kept trying to go to Asia. Lydia could have just listened politely to Paul and brushed him off with a polite “I’ll think about it.” But that’s not what happened. They listened and tried to follow where God was leading.
God’s will may not always be clear to you. But that doesn’t mean that you should put off acting on where you think he wants you to go. When you take a step of faith, as Paul and Lydia did, God can accomplish great things through you! And if you’re not on the right path, he’ll find a way to redirect you. A job that doesn’t work out, for example, might lead you to find another position that is better for you.
Roadblocks and uncertainty can be frustrating, but they can also be opportunities for you to become more reliant on the Lord. They can teach you to yield to the Spirit and face the unknown with greater confidence and trust that God’s plan for you is the best one.
“Jesus, help me to put my faith in action by trusting in you.”
Psalm 149:1-6, 9
John 15:26-16:4
Acts 16:11-15
I shared with you on the phone that what I thought was my mission has not worked out. It was a frustrating five month experience. Your words are comforting. “Roadblocks and uncertainty can be frustrating, but they can also be opportunities for you to become more reliant on the Lord. They can teach you to yield to the Spirit and face the unknown with greater confidence and trust that God’s plan for you is the best one.”