What is God asking you to do?

by Timothy Howe

Which way?
Sometimes it is so hard to figure out just what God is doing. What are we supposed to do? Yesterday we saw how Paul was prevented from going to a certain place to start a new work. 


Paul focused on what God was doing
Clearly, Paul got the message when the Spirit of Jesus prevented him from going to Bythnia. As a result, he stayed the course until he arrived at the end of Asia. He literally got to the point where he could not go forward. Then he waited for God to show him what was next. Paul had confidence that God would give him knew direction. He was not going to have to figure this out on his own. 


Paul was at a place where he could hear God 
Acts 16:9 speaks of the vision Paul received from God. There was no confusion. He was supposed to go to Macedonia. This is in stark contrast to simply being "prevented" from going into Bythnia. The lack of precision in the earlier episode is followed up by a very specific request to go to a specific location. Paul's willingness to listen to God earlier led him to a place of being able to hear clearly when God next spoke. He was able to recognize God's voice because he was constantly in communion with Him. He says so repeatedly in his letters. 


God had a new plan for Paul
The reason that God had prevented Paul's previous strategy from going forward was not because God wanted to punish Paul or cause Him stress. God had a plan to reach Macedonia with the gospel. God knows just what is needed where. He has a plan for each of our lives. No one is here by accident.We all have a purpose. Sometimes the path that we are on is not serving the perfect purpose God has constructed for us. If that is the case, He may ask us to adjust that path to suit His plans. 


God's plan was clear to Paul
Paul had no doubt what God wanted for Him to so. Since he was at a place where he could clearly hear from God, he recognized the message that God gave him. God was asking him to do something new. He wanted him to take the gospel to Europe. Any discouragement Paul may have felt earlier had to now be replaced with the exhilaration that God was about to do something radically new through him. 


How would you answer the following questions?
Am I focused on what God is doing in my life? 
Am I at a place where I can hear from Him?
Can I recognize His plan for my life? 
What is God's plan for my life?


Pray through these questions. Take life off "autopilot," find a convenient time and place, hear from God and assess what He is asking you to do.