Interestingly, so many of the teachings concerning Paul emphasize that “Immediately” after his conversion he began his ministry. From the Scripture record of the history of the Church (Acts), we could draw that conclusion. There is no timeline given.
Acts 9:19–20 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”
But in our passage, it is described. After his conversion, he went to Damascus, then to Arabia, and then back to Damascus. It was at least 3 years, maybe more. This is an important issue because when it comes to “time” we humans are the ones in a hurry…not God! Did Paul share Christ right away? Yes! That should be normal when a fallen human encounters the love and forgiveness of their Creator and enters into a relationship with Him. However, for Paul to move from being a Pharisee to the Truth would require time. God knew this and planned for it.
Whether it be a vocational ministry, or marriage, or our career, far too many times we skip the required preparation time, the foundation if you will, just to get to our goal…only to find out we do not possess the wisdom nor the maturity required to maximize what we are doing and see it to the end! Just consider our attitude toward money: Get Rich Quick! Yet, almost 99% of people that do, whether it be through the Lotto, Inheritance, etc., not only do they lose it but also end up in the destruction of their life!
I am not saying STOP and do nothing, or become complacent about your goals, but take the time to:
* Know exactly what they are.
* Commit them to the Lord and make it clear that your end goal is to have His goal.
* Be flexible…because God may have a path that you did not see, but He knows it is necessary.
* Count the cost…both negatives and positives. – Remember the “grass may be greener” on the other side of the hill…BUT the water bill is higher!
** Here is the most important issue. We are finite; we can only see a “slice” of the whole picture. This can cause us frustration, which leads to impatience…which will make us rush to our goal, instead of allowing God to unfold it in His way and His time. So, to pace ourselves practice this: When it seems progress has stopped, just do the next right thing! That’s small, reachable, and never leads to sin or manipulated actions to attain your goal. Focus on the “Now” and what is right, leave the unknown future in the hands of the One that knows that future!
The So What: Instead of questions, I would like to share a thought-provoking statement I heard early in my faith which has guided me for 5 decades. “Never Sacrifice the Ultimate on the Altar of the Immediate!” How can you apply that in your life right now?
