A Door of Opposition

Scripture:

I Corinthians 16:8-9  "But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me".

Observation:

As Paul was closing his letter to the Corinthians, he makes a statement about what his plans were.  He told them he was going to stay in Ephesus because he had a great door opened and that there were many who opposed him.  Here we see Paul not running from opposition, but to it.  We see Paul seeing a door of opportunity and people opposing him as the same thing.  Most of us think of an open door by God meaning that everything is going to go well and everyone is going to love us.  We think open doors mean everything is going to be perfectly smooth.  Paul saw it differently.

Application:

Most believer today feel like if something is of God, there will be no opposition and everything will go extremely smoothly.  Sometimes, in fact, God's door of opportunity will come with opposition.  We always seem to think that God's way is always going to be the easiest, when it may be the hardest.  We need to realize that not all opposition is bad.

Prayer:

Father God,  help me see with Your perspective.  Help me know Your will and not to see opposition as a sign that I am not in your will.  Help me know Your voice and follow it completely, into good things and into opposition.

Yours Forever,

Jeff