God Willing

ByJim Stephens

Scripture: Acts 18:18-23

18 Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that, then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him. 19 They stopped first at the port of Ephesus, where Paul left the others behind. While he was there, he went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews. 20 They asked him to stay longer, but he declined. 21 As he left, however, he said, “I will come back later, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 The next stop was at the port of Caesarea. From there he went up and visited the church at Jerusalem and then went back to Antioch. 23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers. (Acts 18:18-23 NLT)

These verses read like a travel log on the surface, but I see some insights for our day-to-day Faith Journey. Think with me about these three things:

1. Faithfulness Over Comfort (Verse 18). Paul had spent a year and a half making close friends and growing deep roots in the new church in Corinth. Leaving must have been hard. Yet Paul recognized when a season was coming to an end. It’s easy to settle into comfort zones, but seasons of change sometimes require goodbyes. Are you clinging to a past season because it feels safe, or are you willing to follow God into the next chapter even when it requires saying goodbye to the familiar?

2. Submission to God’s Timing (Verses 19–21). In Ephesus, Paul experienced every minister’s dream: an eager audience asking him to stay longer! Yet he declined because his current mission required moving forward. He didn’t let good opportunities derail God’s specific plan for his schedule. He left the future open with two words: “God Willing”. Are you willing to say “no” to good things if they aren’t part of God’s timing for you right now? How often do you make plans with a posture of “God willing”?

3. Strengthening the Believers (Verse 23). Paul’s priority wasn’t just making new converts and starting churches. He traveled hundreds of miles over rough terrain simply to encourage, build up, and anchor the faith of the believers he had met earlier. Who in your circle of faith needs a word of encouragement or strengthening today? How can you invest in the spiritual health of those already around you?

Prayer:

Father, I ask two things of you as I meditate on this story: May I develop a “God Willing” response to every opportunity and plan, and May my eyes be always open and my heart ready with a word or act of strengthening and encouraging others. Amen!