When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. They didn’t believe he was really a disciple. Then Barnabas brought Saul to the apostles and told them the story about how Saul saw the Lord on the way and that the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them about the confidence with which Saul had preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus. After this, Saul moved freely among the disciples in Jerusalem and was speaking with confidence in the name of the Lord. He got into debates with the Greek-speaking Jews as well, but they tried to kill him. When the family of believers learned about this, they escorted him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. God strengthened the church, and its life was marked by reverence for the Lord. Encouraged by the Holy Spirit, the church continued to grow in numbers. (Acts 9:26-31, CEB)
People get in the way of the Spirit moving the way God intends sometimes.
You see we have free will to do what we want, and sometimes we think that our way is the way God wants things to go. But most of the time when we think God thinks like us, that is just us thinking that God thinks like us. We want God in a box and things to go our way.
The disciples didn’t believe Saul had changed until one of their own stood up for Saul. But in all of this, God’s Spirit still moved and accomplished what God intended.
I have always said God’s will will be done through us, or in spite of us.
Love out loud and try to stay out of God’s way.
Loving People. Loving God.
aSacredRebel 