Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter

When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them, so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, we sought passage to Macedonia at once, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.

Sometimes God prevents us from doing something He knows won’t lead us in the right direction. We might have our hearts set on something, but be unable to achieve it. This failure can be disheartening, but we need to remember that failures can lead to greater opportunities. When a door closes... a window opens. We can’t be so focused on one life path that we close our hearts and minds to the possibility that God is calling us elsewhere. By leaving ourselves open to the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we allow God to work through us in a way that both fulfills us and is in accordance with God’s Will. Sometimes a setback is just what we need to give us a new perspective on life, to give us a nudge in the right direction, and ultimately to become the best disciples of Christ we can be.

Do we get frustrated with our failures or see them as opportunities to learn, grow, and improve? Are we open to allowing God to lead us in unexpected directions? How can we prepare ourselves to listen to the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, lead us in the right direction.

Amen.