“And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.” — Acts 23:11
Paul was living for God and found himself in a whirlwind of problems. Though each circumstance and outcome will be different for God’s servants, there are some great truths we can extract from Paul’s situation.
- God always stands with His children.
Paul was witnessing for God when it seems almost every person turned against him. There will be times in your life that you will feel alone, but don’t forget God’s “great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4). You are never alone with God on your side. He said He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5; Isaiah 49:15). Get to know Him and stay close to Him, for it is He Who is with you even when you feel alone, afraid, or abandoned.
- God encouraged Paul was in a tough situation.
You will probably never have the Lord, or an angel, physically come to you, but the Lord still whispers truth in your heart and ears. Sometimes God reminds you of a truth from His Word, or a word that was told to you by one of His messengers, or a song you learned long ago. There are moments you must get away to encourage yourself in the Lord as the Psalmist David did in 1 Samuel 30:6. There are other moments God refreshes your soul with His presence. However the encouragement comes, continue to look to God and be of good cheer. God is greater than your problems!
- God has a purpose.
God told Paul he was going to bear witness for Him in Rome. God had a purpose for Paul’s situation, and He does for yours as well. Nothing can catch God off guard. God knew about Job, even when Job didn’t understand. God knows your struggles, and God has a purpose.
Here to Serve,
Jeffrey Bush