When Things Don't Go Your Way

I. INTRO

A. Taking a break

a. Illust. - when u things don’t go as planed

1. church plant implosion

i. What do we do?

b. let’s see what Some folks in the bible did

Acts 16:6-9

Acts 16:6–9 ESV

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

B. Pray

II. BODY

A. Context

a. Paul’s on his missionary journey

1. funny thing happens, tries to enter Asia

i. The H.S. Says nope,

b. I think, based on what we know o Paul,

1. he prayed diligently,

2. thought he’d gotten a direction frm God

3. executed the plan…&…Failed.

B. What do u do when things don’t go as planned

Acts 16:8 ESV

8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

Acts 16:

a. Paul took a step back & waited.

1. he prayed diligently,

2. thought he’d gotten a direction frm God

1. Sometimes we gotta wait & see what God is doing these r tough & on certain times, right?

i. We wait cause sometimes what God does doesn’t make any sense to us that’s why Isa wrote:

Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

2. Illust. - Stayed @the church that sent me out.

3. Illust. - What about tragedy

i. In light o a GMCC family who’s loved 1 went to b w/Jesus

ii. Rebekah’s grandpa & Phil’s word frm God.

Again, based on what we know o Paul, I don’t think he sat around & twiddled his thumbs

3. executed the plan…&…Failed.

b. He sought God & God gave him a vision

Acts 16:9 ESV

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

1. Illust. - prayed & looked 4 God’s prompting

i. God’s word to me: resign:

i. the

2. Illust. - What about tragedy

i. the tendency to pull away…but there’s an alternative:

-Seek God

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 2:1–2 ESV

1 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained?

2 Corinthians 1:3 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

2 Cor 1:3

*God of all comfort

-Seek Godly folks who’ve been comforted

*vs 4: “so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God”

*this means that we shouldn’t isolate

c. Be faithful where your at

Acts 16:10 ESV

10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

1. he, him, they 2 we

2. Paul must have been preaching even though his plans 4 Asia seemed to implode

3. Illust. - faithful where I was

i. Preaching, upgrading tech & media, senior living facilities

ii. The word from God: resign

iii. still faithful:

-preaching when & where I could

-put in resume

-pray much

-b sensitive to God’s prompting - Result, GMCC

4. What about tragedy (what’s faithful look like in tragedy?)

Psalm 31:9–10 ESV

9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. 10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.

i. bring ur grief b4 God

Ps 31:

Psalm 31:14 ESV

14 But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”

ii. Trust God!

d. final encouragement:

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 ESV

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.