“6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, bypassing Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 During the night a vision appeared to Paul: A Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, Cross over to Macedonia and help us! 10 After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to evangelize them.

11 Then, setting sail from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for a number of days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. 14 A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was spoken by Paul. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house. And she persuaded us.”

Acts 16:6-15

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This always read as a strange passage to me (verses 6-8) but as we progress further on down the chapter, we find that Paul & company had a very specific mission and a very specific target window that God was setting up. They pressed and pushed through their travel plans, getting rerouted here then rerouted there just trying to find the place where God wanted them to speak the Gospel message. And where they thought they were supposed to go, they weren’t and God used miraculous means to divert them. They had a divine appoitment to keep, and they had a connection to make for the sake of the Gospel that would do a great deal to build the church up

This woman, Lydia, was going to be in a certain place at a certain time and be in a certain frame of mind where she was going to be ready to hear, repent and receive Christ in baptism. This was His desire, and Paul & co. just needed to be willing servants. It took a sensitivity of the Spirit the first time to redirect them, but then Jesus Himself had to redirect them the second time. We might have plans of our own like this…plans that sound good and God honoring, but He has something very specific for us that may not be on our radar. We need to listen for the whispers, and consult God with our plans. We can’t be so dead set in how we want to do what we want to do that we aren’t willing to listen to God’s better plans.

When we leave our old lives behind to follow Christ, we are doing just that, replaceing one thing with something better. God has a plan for each of us to follow as we GoLove others in the Name of Jesus Christ. It’s a beautiful plan, laid out in His timing that will bear fruit that points hearts and minds to Him, but we must be willing to set our ideas on just when, how and where these plans will unfold. We already know the ‘what,’ it’s the Gospel message itself. The plan is pretty clear, but we need to have that communication with Godwhere we tell Him that we are ready and willing to listen, and then actually approach each day with that intentional willingness. 

He has great plans to unfold. We simply need to be mindful, ready & willing.