It is easy to trust when nothing changes. It is easy to trust when all is working as planned. It’s a whole different matter when something shifts even slightly. Change might be the most frightening word in the English language. Change can evoke both excitement and anxiety. When changes happen, do you tend to trust? In Acts 16.6-10 we see change and trust play out before us in what many call ‘The Macedonian Call.’ It is a shift in course direction.
6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
This is their second missionary journey. They were traveling, confirming churches, seeing people saved…depending on God. Paul had taken Silas with him after the change of team occurred in Acts 15 between he and Barnabas. Several events have taken place up to this passage which brings us to our first trust principle…
Trust Principle #1— You are already trusting Him for what’s happening now.
Now it seems their advances are being hindered—They had tried to go into Asia numerous times. Did you notice who hindered and blocked their advances? The Holy Spirit (6,7). Some of the ‘stops’ we are experiencing now may be God intersecting and involving Himself in a course direction for us. If you have been trusting Him so far, and He makes a course direction, why panic now? To every principle there is a problem. This one is simple: We aren’t really trusting Him now. Again, when things are working as we have planned, its easy for it to ‘look’ like we trust. I believe at this point it behoves us to ask the question… Am I trusting Him now?
9— And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
Because of the stop and the ensuing frustration, it caused a pause in Paul and his team. When God does make course correction, let Him, then pause to see why He has done this. It has a purpose so get clarity from Him. Paul was asked in his vision to get up from their present location and go to another location. come over— indicating you will need to get up and leave so that you will be able to go. Thank God Paul obeyed! This brings us to our second trust principle…
Trust Principle #2— Change is a good thing.
This principle’s problem is: Continuing on your own present course with no change in course will not get you to God’s will. Now let’s see how. 10— And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. They saw this as God calling them to give the Gospel in Macedonia. We need to thank God for that course shift. Due to the obedience to this call for ‘help’ (helping them out of sin and in to eternal life) thousands were saved. This advancement of the gospel into Southern Europe is a credit to my lineage hearing and trusting the Gospel several centuries later. This also introduces the next trust principle…
Trust Principle #3— Only God knows perfect timing.
Principle problem: If timing is so crucial, then not trusting His timing can be catastrophic. The harvest was not ready in Asia but it was in Macedonia and Europe. Only the Lord of the Harvest would know the timing of His harvest (Luke 10.2). If God had not hindered them into Asia; and they were successful in Asia, they would have altered the course of history in a significant way. The ‘begotten lands’ today would be us! Those lost in paganism and ritualistic, hedonistic culture would be you and me. In reality, it is again anyway. The large part of our American so-called ‘christian culture’ is led by and assaulted by hedonistic paganism again. It wasn’t founded this way, but that landscape has changed. The Lord of the Harvest still knows when and where and who needs to work and how. Trust Him! We pick up this need a little later in Acts 19.10— And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. All of Asia heard the Word anyway. The timing is of God, it is perfect and for us it is essential. Trust Him!
God has shifted courses on us, He will continue to do so. I have found in those times it can make or break your faith. Ruthlessly trust Him. We cannot afford to passively trust God. Just as Paul and his team fully trusted in His perfect, good and clear direction, we too must ruthlessly trust Him.
At Highland Baptist it is our determination to fulfill our mission; which is— To glorify God by developing committed followers of Jesus Christ. We want to be those in this text who ruthlessly trust Him to the end as our vision statement says— To be an assembly who love God and others until we turn the world upside down. (Matthew 22.37-40; Acts 17.6)
God will make changes in our direction. When a course direction comes that is authored and empowered by God; accept it with a full heart of trust in His provision, love, and grace.