When Faced With Distractions During the Journey

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10

We are on a journey towards our Heavenly home.  Until Jesus Christ calls us home, we are called to do good works that God has prepared for us.  Because we are individually unique, your calling is unique.  What is Christ calling you to do today?  Are you willing to step out in obedience to His call upon your life?  When we step out in obedience to our call, there will be times on the journey that we will face distractions.  How will you handle the distractions on your journey?  Satan will do everything he can to keep us from carrying the Gospel Message to a lost and dying world.  He will attempt to stop us from carrying out the good works God has prepared for us.  Let’s choose to stay focused on our God given calling and our Savior and LORD.

We notice in Acts 16:16-25 that Paul and Silas were faced with distractions during their journey.  Scripture reveals that Paul and Silas were in Macedonia and were going to a place of prayer.  A slave girl, who had an evil spirit, began to follow Paul and Silas.  She followed the men for several days shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”  Paul became annoyed and commanded the spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her.  What the slave girl said was true, although the source of her knowledge was a demon.  If Paul accepted the demon’s words, he would appear to be linking the Gospel with demon-related activities.  This would damage the Gospel Message because truth and evil do not mix. 

The girl’s owners were faced with the loss of the girl’s fortune telling ability and their way of financial gain.  They became angry and had Paul and Silas dragged into the marketplace to face the authorities.  They were stripped, beaten, and placed in stocks in a prison cell.  Acts 16:19-24 – When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.  They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”  The crowd joined the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be striped and beaten with rods.  After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.  When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.  Despite Paul and Silas awful situation – distractions during the journey – they praised God by singing and praying.  Acts 16:25 – About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 

How did Paul and Silas handle the distractions they faced on their journey?  They remembered the call.  Acts 16:9-10 – During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”  After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.  When you are faced with distractions during the journey, remember the call the LORD has placed upon your life.  Remember the good works God has prepared for you to do.  You are unique, you have a unique calling.  Stay focused on Almighty God and the task He has called you to.  When Paul and Silas were bound in prison, they continued to share the Gospel Message through praying and singing hymns.  No matter the distractions, continue to share the Gospel Message with those you come in contact with.  When our journey is filled with distractions, we must trust our Savior and LORD.  Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight – Proverbs 3:5-6.  Almighty God desires for us be obedient to our calling.  God is faithful and will be with us as we travel on our journey towards our eternal home. 

Dear Heavenly Father, we recognize that as we journey towards our Heavenly home we will be faced with distractions.  Help us Father to remember the calling You have placed upon our life.  Help us to stay focused on the good works You have prepared for us to do.  LORD, help us to trust You.  In Jesus Name I Pray…..Amen.