Reading Plan:
Acts 24


Our Thoughts:
Have you ever heard the saying, “When it rains it pours?” I don’t know about you, but I really do not enjoy it when I have one bad thing after another happen to me. I often find myself saying things like, “what next” or “what gives” or “here we go again.” When this happens, I find myself filled with angst, frustration, and fear.

How about you? How does your mood, spirit, and attitude change when you have one bad experience after another? Often, it is easy to divert the blame, cry woe is me, and ask God why He lets bad things happen to good people. For whatever reason, it can be easy to default to this mindset.

The good news is that we can learn a lot from Paul. Paul is on trial before Governor Felix. The Governor does not want to deal with the situation and stalls the verdict for TWO. YEARS. Paul is forced to sit in prison until Caesar has time to take his case.

This is very similar to a situation John the Baptist faced. While preaching about Jesus boldly, John was imprisoned for speaking against the King’s wife. While John sat in jail awaiting his sentence, he wondered if God made a mistake. Concerned, John asked Jesus, “Are you the one the Holy Scriptures prophesied about, or do we need to wait for someone else?”

Sadly, the story did not end well for John the Baptist, and Paul has a long road ahead of him, too. Yet despite difficult times, we can learn to trust in God’s plan for us even when we are hit with one thing after another. When discouragement and difficulties come, we can take heart in knowing that at the end of the day we serve a God who is worthy. And for followers of Jesus, no matter what, our best days are still ahead.


More Questions:
- How do difficult times shape your faith?
- There’s an old saying, “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” What has God used to make you stronger?


Prayer:
Heavenly Father, give me the faith and endurance to follow and trust you in any and every situation. In Jesus' name, Amen!


Author: Tyler Eggers