Scripture:
Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Consider:
One of my favorite stories in all of inventing history is the discovery and creation of the post-it note. In 1968, Dr. Spencer Silver, a scientist at 3M, was trying to develop a super-strong adhesive for the aerospace industry. At high speeds and excessive heat the existing glues melted and things fell apart, which is not what you want to have happen as you are leaving the atmosphere. He was tasked with creating a glue strong enough to withstand both the heat and pressure of space travel, along with the vibration that comes with sitting on top of a rocket.
Dr. Silver utterly failed. He did end up creating an adhesive, but it was the exact opposite of what he had expected. Instead of being stronger than existing adhesives, he created a “low-tack” one which adhesive stuck to surfaces but could be easily peeled off without leaving a residue. It was, by industrial standards, a complete failure because it didn’t produce the result they were expecting.
Which is when God steps in. Years later, a colleague realized it was the perfect solution for a bookmark that wouldn’t fall out of his hymnal when he went to the next song. And so, the Post-it Note was born—a multi-billion dollar “accident” found in thousands of hymnals every sunday.
When we plot and plan out our path towards a predictable and expected outcome, we feel in control and centered in the future we are sure God has planned for us - because surely God’s plan matches ours, right? When the unexpected come or the path takes a turn away from our route into the future, it causes us uncertainty, bewilderment, and often a deep ache and confusion.
Human foresight is often limited by what we want to see, but God’s vision is broader, wider, and deeper than ours, so what if we saw those closed doors as an opportunity instead of a failure? Maybe we didn’t end up where we expected but when we find ourselves in a spot which is unexpected with scenery we don’t recognize, we can find ways to view them as opportunities and not failures.
Respond:
When was the last time you invented a sticky note? Instead of seeing “failures” or limitations as the end of the story, how could you use God’s creativity to help you find possibilities in this new surrounding?
Pray:
Father God, This way of faith is full of obstacles, and we are often discouraged when we can’t see the Promised Land beyond the next turn. Fill our hearts with your goodness, open our eyes to see, feel and taste your goodness that we may persevere in answering your call. In the name of Jesus we pray.
These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link.
