Man Plans, God Laughs

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. Romans 1:13

Just one verse today - because it stirs up in me a lot more questions than I tend to be comfortable with. Paul wants the believers in Rome to know that he did indeed want to be with them in person, that he had "planned many times" to come to them, but that he'd been prevented. Prevented by what, is my question. By God? By the enemy thwarting God's purposes? I've always figured that if anyone was in tune with God's will, it would be Paul. But then again, Paul was human, too. 

It turns out that Paul didn't make it to Rome until a couple of years after he wrote this letter, and in a way that he probably wasn't counting on. Paul finally arrived in Rome, but as a prisoner. But according to Acts, Paul was able to remain there, still as a prisoner, for 2 years and ended up having a fruitful ministry. (Acts 28:30-31) 

Reading the account of Paul's journey to Rome in Acts 28 reminds me a little of my own life - the unexpected twists and turns it has taken. Paul was travelling as a prisoner, they were shipwrecked on an island for 3 months, and on and on it goes. But it's very clear, looking back, that God's hand was in all of it, and it all turned out better than anyone could have planned. 

So here's what I take from this: God knows what He's doing. He takes things that look really bad and brings good out of them. So I can trust Him. Might seem a bit too simplistic, but I believe most truth is pretty simple. 

Lord of ALL, thank you. I believe You've got this - ALL of it. Thank you that I can know Your crazy, irrational peace right in the middle of my most hopeless-looking shipwrecks. Please help me live in Your peace today. Amen.