God's Will: Acts 23-24

Basically I can sum up my thoughts this way: Having suffering, turmoil, dangers in our lives does not mean we are out of God’s will for our lives. This can be seen throughout Paul’s missionary trips and now his situation in Jerusalem and Caesarea.

Paul had been told by Jesus that he would be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. Specifically, in Acts 23:11 “the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage, for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome, also.” Yet, disaster after disaster came upon Paul. Some would say this was proof that Paul was not doing the will of God.

In many cultures around the world, people believe that if bad things happen to people, they must have sinned or taken a wrong turn somewhere; that God’s favor had been removed from them. Yet, Paul, in the midst of suffering arrest and imprisonment, had God come to him and stood by him, telling him that His plans for Paul were not yet complete. To me, this says, Paul was doing exactly as God wanted him to do. God told Paul to not be dismayed or depressed. He would continue to witness for Jesus’ cause and even end up in Rome, somehow, to witness to the rulers and kings residing there.

We should never assume we or anyone else is not doing God’s will when bad things happen in their lives. It’s possible, just like God promised Paul, that God intends these things to happen so we can be witnesses of Him to the people around us. He may even be using our struggles to show others of His love, grace, power, and mercy. Are we ready to take up that challenge and be prepared to be witnesses for Christ whatever our circumstances or situations?

I pray daily that God would show me where I need to take action for Him and speak for Him. Even in the midst of my various struggles with bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and managing my diabetes, God may want to use me to encourage other believers or to be His witness to those who don’t know Him. My latest struggle, an unidentified mass in my neck, may open doors for me to share with a variety of people. I pray God would give me opportunities to demonstrate the hope we can have in Him. I can practice serenity in the midst of the concerns, because I know Who is ultimately in control. I pray I will see the opportunities and take them to be a witness for Christ. God has me just where He wants me. I need to look expectantly for how He will use me in this situation.