Sometimes we all might need to be reminded, “Just keep going!”

By Dean Collins

I don’t know your situation, but I do know we all have situations. When I someone says, “I have a situation,” often this means they are in the middle of a difficultly or, worse, a crisis. That’s what I mean when I say, “We all have situations.” Maybe a human resource issue at work has become a situation. Or the irate customer who won’t back down and has unreasonable demands might turn into a situation. When your teenager hasn’t called and didn’t show up by the prescribed time, you might have a situation.

Faithful followers of Jesus have situations all the time. If we are in one, we probably need some help. And if we aren’t in one, God might nudge you to help someone who is. This is the way it was with the apostle Paul. Sometimes, if you pay attention, Paul’s life and ministry reads as if nothing much is happening. But sometimes it reads like a wild adventure story.

Two cities, two situations

Paul had just wrapped up his visiting professor role in Athens. While he could hang with the local academics, his mention of the resurrection of Jesus had him canceled by some, even though a few listeners wanted to know more about the topic. For Paul, believing in Jesus wasn’t academic or philosophical. Believing in Jesus was transformational. It was the difference between being dead or fully alive.

Paul’s next situation would be in Corinth. When he arrived, he found a married couple who had recently moved to Corinth from Italy. Paul and this couple had a lot in common. They shared a Jewish heritage, a common trade of tent making, and a love for Jesus. They practiced hospitality and invited Paul to live with them and even do some manual labor making tents together. Whether for stress relief or helping cover daily expenses, Paul chose to make tents when he wasn’t preaching and teaching. Sometimes when faced with situations and the fatigue they bring we need to do something away from the situation to clear our heads and refresh the body and soul.

Paul’s tent making wasn’t his main thing. Jesus was Paul’s life, but making tents helped him with balance, friendships, and additional income. Timothy and Silas arrived in Macedonia and discovered that Paul was speaking in the synagogue. As usual, while some believed, some became agitated and hostile to Paul and his message. Paul let them know their choice to believe or not and the consequences of their beliefs was on them. He walked away from the tension and received an invitation from the guy who lived next door to come to his house and teach. He and others there wanted to learn more about Jesus. Even the synagogue leader, Crispus, along with his whole family, turned to Christ because of Justus opening his home and inviting Paul to share his message freely there.

Success, stress, fear

Even as Paul was experiencing success and on mission he apparently couldn’t shake off the stress and the fear of his situation. The Jewish leaders from the synagogue were still stirring things up and creating opposition. Don’t forget that Paul had already experienced beatings, stoning, and jail time. When you’ve been in a situation before, your mind will bring up old memories. The enemy will use them to haunt you and distract you from your mission.

One night God gave Paul a vision that confirmed God knew the stress was getting to Paul. We can deduce that because of the content of the vision. Here’s what God revealed to Paul: “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”

What a gift! And this message helped Paul get through a situation! The result was that Paul was able to stay put safely for the next year and a half, teaching about Jesus without danger and with less concern. Maybe we can learn from this vision and see if its truth might help in our next situation.

Five lessons for our situation

1) We all have fears sometimes. It’s normal. But God doesn’t want us to be frozen by our fears. He is with us and all through Scripture consistently reminds us not to give in to the fear but rather to trust him. Even the great apostle Paul needed this reminder to stop being afraid.

2) Paul was told to keep speaking and doing his mission. Whatever our situation, we don’t stop sharing the love of Christ, which is always our central mission.

3) Remember these words from Jesus. Paul needed to hear them and so do you: “I am with you.” Jesus said earlier he would be with us even to the end of the ages—forever!

4) Paul got a specific message in this situation that no one would attack him. God might reveal specifics about your situation through a prayer or from another believer. We must listen closely for his instruction.

5) Finally, God assured Paul that he was surrounded in this place my many believers. Paul apparently didn’t realize how many people were working with and for God in Corinth, but it was a large group.

Not alone

You may feel alone in your situation. Sometimes I do, too. But trust that God doesn’t love some of his children and has forgotten you. He loves us all and will fulfill his every promise. So don’t be afraid today. We don’t always realize it, but God has many people surrounding you in prayer and probably some making action plans to help and protect you. We are never alone when we place our trust and our lives in Jesus. His hands are strong and adequate for any situation.

Your time with God’s Word
Acts‬ ‭18:2-11‬ ‭ESV

Photos by Wil Stewart on Unsplash and Thirdman from Pexels

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