Have you ever had a time when things didn’t go as planned?
Maybe the plan was to get that job, or that apartment, or that financing. Maybe the plan was to reach that goal, or win that game, or earn that bonus.
Every adult can say it. In my life, things haven’t always gone as planned.
Life is full of setbacks. Full of obstacles. Sometimes when Plan A fails, it’s time for Plan B. Sometimes when forward progress comes to a stop, it’s time to pivot.
This is exactly where the Apostle Paul found himself at the start of his second missionary journey in Acts 16.
When Others Give Up on You, Don’t Give Up on the Mission
Paul and Barnabas had returned from their first missionary journey back to Antioch in Syria, at the northeast corner of the Mediterranean. Antioch was the launching pad for each missionary journey to the Gentiles. It was where disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11).
In their first journey (Acts 13-14), they traveled as far as Antioch in Pisidia, 200 miles to the west. Yes, there were two Antiochs. Think of it like Portland ME and Portland OR.
During that first journey, Jewish believers stirred up controversy among the Gentiles, and it needed to be addressed. So the elders in Jerusalem convened a council, gave instructions, and sent a letter. The letter in Acts 15 explained that Gentile believers need not follow Jewish customs to follow Jesus. Paul made a plan to deliver it to the churches.
But Barnabas didn’t like Paul’s plan, because it didn’t include John Mark. They couldn’t resolve that disagreement. So Barnabas and John Mark left, heading for Cyprus without Paul.
Paul’s Plan A was finished. His partner in ministry was gone. But for Paul at this moment, it wasn’t time to quit. It was time to pivot.
Have you ever been abandoned? Have you ever had someone else give up and leave you high and dry? You’re not alone. You’re in good company. So did the Apostle Paul. In fact, so did Jesus. But Paul didn’t give up, did he. No he didn’t.
God provided another partner by the name of Silas, who the church in Jerusalem had sent to deliver the letter. Like Barnabas, Silas was described as an encourager. So off goes Paul and Silas to strengthen the churches from the first missionary journey.
At Lystra, Paul found a young disciple named Timothy. Well spoken of by the brothers. The son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him. And verse 5 tells us the result: “So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.”
What Paul lost in Barnabas and young John Mark, God provided in Silas and young Timothy. When God calls you, He will put the right people in your path at just the right time. Just don’t give up.
Imagine if Paul had given up. Imagine if he had just headed back to Jerusalem, like John Mark had done previously. There was a moment of discouragement. Of course. But discouragement didn’t turn to despair. Paul had a calling and a duty to bring these letters to the churches. And he was not deterred from that mission.
The mission wasn’t to beat Caesar or to liberate Jerusalem. Paul’s mission was to share the good news, to make disciples, to strengthen them in faith, and to increase in numbers daily. That is our mission also.
Discussion
- When have you felt abandoned or left behind in something that mattered to you? What kept you going?
- How has God brought unexpected people into your life at just the right time?
Key Takeaways
- Abandonment is not the end of the mission. What Paul lost in one partnership, God replaced with another. Discouragement doesn’t have to become despair.
- The mission is clear: strengthen and multiply. Not political influence. Not cultural clout. Share the good news, make disciples, strengthen the faith.
When a Door Closes, Don’t Bust It Down
Paul, Silas, and Timothy traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, along the eastern border of Asia. But then something unexpected happened. They were “forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.”
They moved up to Mysia in northwest Asia and attempted to go into Bithynia to the north. But the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas, at the western shores of Asia. And there, a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
Why would the Holy Spirit forbid Paul from speaking the word in Asia? Scripture doesn’t say. But Paul didn’t bust the door down. He asked God for direction and kept an open mind.
The cities of Asia like Ephesus and Colossae were 200 miles even further west. But God said no. Not now. The heart of Asia was off limits for now. Paul had a vision that made him think further. Not Asia. But Macedonia, with cities like Philippi and Thessalonica, which opened the door to Corinth. These cities weren’t 200 or 400 miles from home base in Antioch. They were over 800 miles away.
Proverbs 16:9 says: “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”
Proverbs 19:21 says: “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.”
Sometimes God closes the door, even on plans we think are good. But Our Father knows best.
James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith…”
What does that mean, ask in faith? Does that mean wishful thinking? The Greek word is pistis, meaning conviction, fidelity, and trust. To have faith is to be faithful. Asking for wisdom in faith means being faithful and trusting that God will direct your steps.
So when you hit a snag and a door closes, recognize that for what it is. Pray for direction. Keep an open mind.
Discussion
- Can you think of a time when a closed door turned out to be God’s protection or redirection?
- What makes it hard to wait on God’s direction instead of forcing your way through?
Key Takeaways
- Closed doors aren’t always setbacks. Sometimes they’re redirections. The Holy Spirit forbade Paul from preaching in Asia, and it led to the gospel reaching Europe.
- Faith means trusting God’s direction, not just wishing for a good outcome. The Greek word pistis carries the weight of conviction, fidelity, and trust. Ask in faith. Then move.
Closed Doors Make Way for Bigger Opportunities
Setting sail from Troas, Paul and his companions made a direct voyage to Samothrace, then to Neapolis, the easternmost city of Macedonia, and from there to Philippi, a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. On the Sabbath day they went outside the gate to the riverside, where they supposed there was a place of prayer, and sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
One who heard was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. After she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged them to stay at her home.
From Philippi, they went to Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth before returning to Antioch in Acts 18:22.
If Paul had not gone to Philippi, we would not have Philippians. Or 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Or 1 and 2 Corinthians. The closed door to Asia made way for something bigger than Paul could have imagined.
And the door to Asia did reopen. Afterwards, when Paul returned to Antioch, he prepared for his third missionary journey. And in that third journey, God opened the door to Asia. Paul finally got to Ephesus. He left Timothy in Ephesus to lead and to teach. And it was on this third journey that Paul brought the gospel to those he would later pen letters in Ephesians, Colossians, and 1 and 2 Timothy.
But there’s something else. In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul writes: “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.”
And as we know, John Mark wrote one of the four Gospels.
Not only did Paul feel abandoned at the start. So did Mark. Not only did Paul have doors close on him. So did John Mark. And the relationship was beautifully restored. Between Barnabas and Paul, their temporary division led to multiplication, and eventually reconciliation.
Closed doors often make way for bigger opportunities. And they can reopen at a better time later.
Discussion
- Looking back on your life, where has a closed door eventually led to something you couldn’t have planned?
- Is there a relationship or opportunity that seemed lost but might be worth revisiting?
Key Takeaways
- Division led to multiplication. Paul and Barnabas split, but the result was more churches planted, more letters written, and more disciples made.
- Closed doors can reopen at the right time. Asia was off limits in the second journey but opened in the third. Patience and trust pay off.
- Restoration is possible. Paul and John Mark were eventually reconciled. What seems broken isn’t always permanent.
Something to Sit With
When others give up on you, don’t give up on the mission. When a door closes, don’t bust it down. Ask God for direction and keep an open mind. And trust that closed doors often make way for bigger opportunities.
The heart of man plans his way. But the LORD establishes his steps.
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21, ESV)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Paul and Barnabas separate in Acts 15?
Paul and Barnabas disagreed over whether to bring John Mark on their second journey. John Mark had left them during the first journey, and Paul didn’t want to include him again. The disagreement was sharp enough that they parted ways. Barnabas took John Mark to Cyprus. Paul chose Silas and headed west.
Why did the Holy Spirit forbid Paul from preaching in Asia?
Scripture does not give a specific reason. What is clear is that God redirected Paul away from Asia and toward Macedonia, where the gospel would reach cities like Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth for the first time. The door to Asia reopened later during Paul’s third journey.
What is the Macedonian call in Acts 16?
Paul received a vision at Troas of a man from Macedonia urging him to “come over and help us.” Paul and his companions concluded that God was calling them to preach the gospel in Macedonia. This led to the founding of churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, and eventually Corinth.
Who was Lydia in the Bible?
Lydia was a seller of purple goods from Thyatira, living in Philippi. She was a worshiper of God, and the Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. She and her household were baptized, making her one of the first European converts recorded in Acts.
What does “pistis” mean in the Greek New Testament?
Pistis is the Greek word commonly translated as “faith.” Its semantic range includes conviction, fidelity, and trust. In James 1:5-6, asking God in faith means trusting with genuine conviction that He will direct your steps. It’s not wishful thinking. It’s faithful trust.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway.