WHEN JESUS SAYS STOP
"When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to." (Acts 16:7)
HOW FRUSTRATING! JESUS CALLED PAUL to share the gospel, and he was raring to go—but then Jesus held him back.
What’s up with that?
I was invited recently to speak at a local writer’s group. I was excited to support others in the body of Christ and felt called.
But after I accepted, a group leader soon emailed me: “Sorry, I didn’t realize someone else on the committee had already scheduled a different person.”
And with that, the door closed. I felt deflated.
This is just a small example, but there have been other times when I was ready to charge ahead, but the Spirit of Jesus clearly didn’t allow me to move forward.
Disappointment made my heart ache, and my prayers held painful questions.
Perhaps you’ve experienced painful closed doors. You begin a ministry born from His prompting, but then He calls you to lay it down.
You plan a move to a new job, but then the job dissolves.
You invest in a relationship, but Jesus stops you from moving forward.
When that happens, it’s easy to feel confused. Yet I’ve learned that I can trust that when the Spirit of Jesus stops me from moving in my intended direction, He does this out of wisdom and love and for purposes I don’t yet see.
Sometimes I struggle when Jesus says, “Go,” but often I struggle even more when He says, “Stop.”
We can show our love and faith when we’re willing to move forward, change directions, or even hold still—however Jesus leads.
—SHARON HINCK
"When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to." (Acts 16:7)
HOW FRUSTRATING! JESUS CALLED PAUL to share the gospel, and he was raring to go—but then Jesus held him back.
What’s up with that?
I was invited recently to speak at a local writer’s group. I was excited to support others in the body of Christ and felt called.
But after I accepted, a group leader soon emailed me: “Sorry, I didn’t realize someone else on the committee had already scheduled a different person.”
And with that, the door closed. I felt deflated.
This is just a small example, but there have been other times when I was ready to charge ahead, but the Spirit of Jesus clearly didn’t allow me to move forward.
Disappointment made my heart ache, and my prayers held painful questions.
Perhaps you’ve experienced painful closed doors. You begin a ministry born from His prompting, but then He calls you to lay it down.
You plan a move to a new job, but then the job dissolves.
You invest in a relationship, but Jesus stops you from moving forward.
When that happens, it’s easy to feel confused. Yet I’ve learned that I can trust that when the Spirit of Jesus stops me from moving in my intended direction, He does this out of wisdom and love and for purposes I don’t yet see.
Sometimes I struggle when Jesus says, “Go,” but often I struggle even more when He says, “Stop.”
We can show our love and faith when we’re willing to move forward, change directions, or even hold still—however Jesus leads.
—SHARON HINCK
