Isn’t it frustrating when a plan goes awry? All the “t”s are crossed and every “i” dotted, yet the carefully crafted project gets delayed or utterly stopped. How we respond to this disappointment is important in our character development. We can blow up and blame God, or we can grow up and go to God. Our choice.
Imagine if Paul had thrown a fit for not getting to go to Rome when he had originally hoped to go. All along Paul has said we are to do all things to the glory of God and throwing a tantrum would hardly be God glorifying. Instead, we see an example of Paul recognizing God’s sovereignty and that His ways are higher than his own.
This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen (Romans 15:22-33).
Paul’s hope was to fellowship with the believers in Rome as he headed to Spain, but he recognized God’s hand in directing his path and being used where he was absolutely needed. Often times we may have a vision of how God wants to use us in a particular way or place, but we become impatient as we wait for that vision to come to fruition. Be a Paul, ask other believers to pray with you regarding the calling. Don’t push forward, but walk in the leading of the Spirit. There may be things that one must learn or experience in order to be ready for the think God has for you down the line.
We can see from Paul’s testimony that he recognized God’s timing in getting to Rome and that God’s timing would result in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. In the meantime, he was experiencing God’s goodness right where God had him, bringing aid to the saints in Jerusalem, by way of many churches who gave to the cause.
Two things we can take away from this passage is that God’s way is always the best way. It may not be the easy way, as we can see from Paul’s life, he experienced some great trials while serving the Most High God, but he lived in a place of contentment knowing that in all things God works life’s bumps, bruises, and blessings out for His glory. Paul lived out his faith in the knowledge that he was “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life (Ephesians 2:10). He was living the life which God had prepared for him to live and recognized God’s perfect plan.
Secondly, he called upon his Christian brothers and sisters to be part of this ministry through prayer. Paul’s own prayer life drew him deeply into moment by moment fellowship with God, and he desired that for others.
Here is a short list of prayers he prayed for others:
- “God is my witness, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established.” Ephesians 1:16
- “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved.” Romans 10:1
- “I have great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart; for I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren.” Romans 9:2
- “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:4
- “We give thanks to God, praying always for you. For this cause also, since the day we heard it, we do not cease to pray for you, and to desire.” Colossians 1:9
We too should be praying for one another in a similar manner. When we tell someone we will pray for them, stop and do it right then, even if it is a quick silent prayer to God who hears and sees all. If we write I’ll pray for you on a Facebook post, do it right then and there, or even write your prayer to the Lord in the post. Take this ministry seriously and watch God move in the lives of others and yours too.