When God Puts You On Hold (Part 2)

“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7 

Have you ever tried your best to make something happen, and all God gives you is a stop sign? That was the case with Paul. He wanted to spread the gospel to Asia, but he was “forbidden” by God to preach there. (Acts 16:6) A closed door can be just as much the will of God as an open one. You have to trust God’s timing in everything. If you are on hold, don’t get discouraged, and don’t give up. Little did Paul know that four verses later, God would give him a vision to go to Macedonia.

But when Paul got to Macedonia, he was met with resistance. A fortune teller full of evil spirits began to follow him, screaming and making a scene everywhere he went. After days of this, Paul turned around and cast the evil spirits from her, and this led to him and Silas being beaten with rods and thrown in prison. Sometimes, we can wrongfully assume that God’s will is going to be easy and that everything is just going to fall into our lap. But you can still be right in the middle of God’s will, and it is hard.

Paul’s journey to Macedonia led to the salvation of many people, some of whom had great influence. His pain and hardship were not in vain. No matter how difficult the road gets, never forget who is walking that road with you. Moses once said, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” He would have rather stayed in the desert with God than move into the land of plenty without Him. (Exodus 33:15) With God by your side, you have nothing to fear. So keep going!

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