We played musical churches.  Cornerstone Church was moving out of their leased facility and our church was moving into it.  Koreen didn’t know that her church, Cornerstone Church, was on the move.  So, the first Sunday that we occupied that space, she showed up for the service as usual. 

Same building, same chair – different congregation.  She knew something was sorta different, but she enjoyed herself anyway.  She figured God brought her to us for a reason.  From that day on she became a beloved part of our church family. 

So, that makes me wonder, “Does it matter where a person is at any point in time?  Is it important to God that I am here rather than there?” 

The Scripture says yes!  God’s sovereign working includes the “where” of a nation (Acts 17:26) and even a person. Solomon wrote, “A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps” – Proverbs 16:9.

So, I get it!  God is sovereignly at work in our lives – steering us to the right places, in order to shape and conform us to the image of HIs Son.

OK but what if I am not happy with where I am at the moment?  The single girl is frustrated because she can’t meet a guy in her small town.  The engineer knows he could earn more elsewhere, but he can’t get the first interview.  With so many small children she would like to be closer to grandparents, but it would be too difficult to make a move.

Well, the apostle Paul was not exactly thrilled with his location either.  He found himself in the belly of a dark, disgusting Roman prison cell.  He was a preacher who could not get out and preach. 

But He understood the mysterious and wonderful workings of God and therefore looked for the sovereign hand of God in His circumstances.

He wrote, “I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel……and most of the brothers and sisters, having confidence in the Lord because of my imprisonment, now more than ever dare to speak the word fearlessly” – Philippians 1:12 & 14.

Paul found that because of his incarceration, many others stepped up and began to preach in his stead.  The Gospel preachers multiplied.  Paul learned that he was doing a greater service to God by being in jail than by being out.

– Do you have consternation about your location?  Ask God what He might be trying to teach you through your circumstances?

As a prisoner Paul was expected to provide food and clothing for himself, but he had no way to earn his keep.  Yet, he could say, “I have learned to be content in any circumstance” – Philippians 4:11.

There in prison God was cultivating in Paul the quality of contentedness.  He may be doing the same for you through your circumstances.

– Consternation about your location? Ask God, what character qualities He is developing in you through your circumstances.

In prison, Paul was chained to a Roman guard.  Guess who began to hear the Gospel?  Paul wrote, “The whole imperial guard and everyone else knows that I am in prison for the sake of Christ” – Philippians 1:13.

He used his difficult circumstances to share his faith with those who shackled him. 

– Consternation about your location? Say to the Lord, “OK God, you plopped me in this job, or this neighborhood.  I assume there is someone here that you want me to reach.  Who is it?” 

God has a purpose in every place we find ourselves.  So, this is what I would suggest.  Instead of fighting your location and your circumstances and complaining about your job, or your home, or the town in which you live or the country of which you are a citizen –  

Instead of all that – Look for His purpose in your place.

A PRAYER: Lord, we need a lot of help with this.  Please have your way!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®