Led by the Spirit: Journey Through the Book of Acts Part 2Sample

Day 8: Divine Disruptions

David Livingstone is widely lauded as one of the pioneer missionaries to Africa. However, many people do not know that Africa was actually not part of Livingstone’s plans. In fact, he was set on going to China as a medical missionary but the Opium wars disrupted his plans. As such, Livingstone was led to a completely different trajectory to Africa where he spent three decades travelling through its unmapped territories, sharing the gospel and charting the way for thousands of missionaries after him. God disrupted Livingstone’s own plans with His divine purpose.

Similarly, Paul had his own plans on where to go for his second missionary journey but these plans were repeatedly disrupted by the Holy Spirit. They were forbidden to go into Asia (v6) or up north towards Bithynia (v7). They could only move on ahead towards Troas (v8). How did the Holy Spirit forbid them from going on with their plans? Was it a quiet inward nudging of the Spirit or was it more dire circumstances that forced them away? We have no way of knowing, but Paul and His co-workers trusted the Spirit’s leading and were submissive to where He led them.

In hindsight, we see that it was the Holy Spirit who guided Livingstone’s journey, and likewise Paul’s. As Paul willingly laid down his plans to follow where the Spirit led, it was also then that he met Luke in Troas. Luke became a traveling companion of Paul for the following missionary journeys and went on to author the books of Luke and Acts. The ‘disruptions’ in Paul’s ministry were God’s guidance to fulfil His grander purpose.

Nobody likes their plans getting disrupted or derailed. These could come in the form of the loss of a relationship, an unfruitful job search or derailed plans to go for missions. In fact, we may even question God’s goodness or love when things do not go according to our plan. What if we pause to consider if these disruptions could be the Holy Spirit’s gracious guidance towards fulfilling His greater purposes in our life? May we still our hearts and minds to listen in to the voice of the Spirit, so we do not mistake or miss these ‘disruptions’ as God’s guidance.

Reflect:

• How is our personal receptivity towards the voice of the Holy Spirit today? If He speaks, will we be found listening or will we miss His voice? Spend time to tune in to the voice of the Holy Spirit today and familiarise ourselves with Him.
• Is there an area of your life that you are facing a disruption in? Go into earnest prayer today and seek godly counsel. We can take heart and trust fully in God that He will lead us into His higher purpose.