Acts 16:6 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.

God’s guidance, and even His calling, are sometimes negative. This passage has always been interesting because of three factors: God declining to allow them to minister in some regions, (though He did allow them to minister there later) His directing them to cross over into Europe, which had a major impact on the history of the Church and of the world, and Luke joining the party from this point, as is evident from the change in pronouns in verse 10. All of those are worth noting, but the one we have the most trouble accepting is the matter of negative guidance. Life is not a zero-sum game, but the fact remains that if we use our time and energy for one thing, they’re not available for another, at least not simultaneously. God’s the only one who can truly multitask, because He’s outside of time. Being good stewards of what God provides includes knowing what not to use it on, as well as knowing what He does want us to do with it. God’s plans are perfect, but our perception of them seldom is. It’s much more exciting to know God is directing us to do something than feeling He’s stopping us from doing something. However, our faith needs to extend even to the negatives, trusting Him to know far better than we do what is best.

Two experiences came to mind as I considered this. The first was when God directed me to turn over ministry in the Immigration Detention Center here in Omura to someone else. There are only two of these in the whole country, and I had been called by a pastor in Yokohama about a Chinese woman who had been sent here for visa violations, and I did visit her a few times. However, I never felt particular enthusiasm for it, and I invited a man in this church to go with me, particularly since he had been studying Mandarin for a couple of years. He very quickly took to it, and I stopped going with him. He has continued the ministry in the years since, winning people of many nations to faith in Christ, and even commenting one time, “Why can’t Japanese be so open to the Gospel?” However, that wasn’t a ministry God allowed me to do, more than briefly. Likewise, I taught Medical English for 42 years, but one day it was like the Lord told me, rather suddenly, to stop. That was at the beginning of a school year, and I did finish out the year, but I announced my retirement at that point, to the consternation and even the tears of some of the teaching staff who had been former students. I am quite satisfied now that I heard the Lord correctly, because my time has been needed in various other ways that would not have been possible had I maintained my teaching schedule. However long He keeps me here, I need to be open to what He wants me to do, and what He wants me not to do, so that I may be fully useful in His hands.

Father, thank You for pointing this out to me. Right now we’re in the middle of my annual photo show, and You have already blessed us in the first two days. However, one of my daughters is urging me not to continue this, considering all the stresses involved. I see others withdrawing from all sorts of things as they get older, and I don’t want to do that for that reason. However, I do want to use the time and energy I have to do Your will on Your schedule. Help me hear You accurately and obey You fully, whether that direction seems positive or negative, so that I will be fully useful to You for Your plans, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!