Be Still And Know

Acts 16.6 NLT 'Next Paul and Silas travelled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.' This is a remarkable moment. Paul clearly had a carefully worked out plan for his missionary journey but, at the same time, was intensely sensitive to the guidance of the Spirit. Here we meet him in what we know as central Turkey heading towards Ephesus but then the Spirit prevented him from going in that direction. So he then set off north until, in the next verse, the “Spirit of Jesus” told them not to enter Bithynia. We have no idea how Paul received this guidance. Perhaps it was through a dream or a word of prophecy. We don’t know and, what is more, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that Paul was ready to go wherever the Lord led him, and he was eager to respond immediately to the breath of the Spirit. Planning is good. It is wise to think through plans for the future whether we are thinking about family holidays, c