God Guides a Moving Ship
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
1 Timothy 1:12
In Acts 15:36-41, Paul and Silas embarked on a journey to revisit the churches that Paul had helped established on his first missionary trip. The churches were being strengthened and increasing in numbers (see Acts 16:5). Suddenly, the Holy Spirit kept them from preaching in Asia, and the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to keep going the same direction (see verses 6-7). Then Paul received a vision to go to Macedonia (see verse 9). If God had wanted Paul to go to Macedonia in the first place, why didn’t He just guide Paul on a more direct path? The reason is because God wanted Paul to start his second missionary trip by strengthening the churches in Asia.
This midcourse correction underscores an important concept of divine guidance: God can only guide a moving ship. A rudder doesn’t work if the ship isn’t moving, and a ship without power is helpless at sea. The helmsman can’t do anything with a motionless ship, because the rudder only works if the ship is under way. Likewise, guidance comes when we are actively doing God’s will, not our will. Life is a journey that takes us through many bends in a river. Like a good river pilot, God guides us around obstacles and away from troubled waters. If we are actively serving God, we will experience many midcourse corrections. We may not know in advance where God is leading us, but we will never get there if we are not actively underway.
We also need to bloom where we have been planted, or further guidance may not be forthcoming. Rattling doors to find an open one is not God’s way. We should be content where we are and prove ourselves faithful in what God has already assigned us to do. He will open the doors of opportunity at the right time. If we aren’t bearing fruit now, it is unlikely that we will be fruitful in another time and place.
Isaiah wrote, “The Lord will guide you always” (58:11). In the verses prior to this text, Isaiah wrote that the Israelites had been seeking God’s leading by fasting (see verses 2-3). However, God revealed their fasting to be a farce that ended in strife (see verse 4). He then shares what a real spiritual fast should be for those who are intent on discerning His will: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn” (verses 6-8).
In other words, God was asking the people why they were fasting to know His will when they had clearly not been faithful to do what He had already commanded them to do. If they would minister to His people the way that He had instructed, then their next step would be clear. If you show yourself faithful in little things, God will enlarge your ministry.
a few questions to ponder:
In Acts 16:1-10, how did God orchestrate a midcourse direction during Paul’s second missionary journey?
What is wrong with patiently waiting for God to guide us?
How does being faithful to follow God’s instructions lead to a better understanding of His will?
Have you ever had a “midcourse” correction? Do you need one?
What opportunities are you exploiting right now—or are you waiting for your “ship to come in”?
Neil T. Anderson is the founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He began the ministry in 1989 and continues to spread the message of freedom to this day.