None of these things move me

And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. – Acts 20.22-24

While devotions are always a blessing and God uses them every day, sometimes they are there and you are grateful and you take the lesson and move on.

Other times devotions come up and are a clear and obvious answer to something in your life. The latter is the case for me today.

Paul was on his way to Jerusalem after he finished at Ephesus. He had no idea what the future held. He did know that it seemed every place he went his ministry was accompanied by ‘chains and tribulations’ while the Holy Spirit did His work.

‘But,’ he said, ‘none of these things move me. I don’t consider my own life worth anything if I can just finish my race with joy, and my ministry to testify to the gospel.’

None of these move me. None of them – not one. That challenges me. I don’t have near the difficulties that Paul had. I have seen trials, but never chains.  And yet, I do find myself constantly ‘moved’ by my own minor and insignificant challenges. Sometimes I am so moved by them that I am tempted to give up.

And yet here is Paul. Knowing that he would probably be arrested again, knew that he would possibly be beaten, and that the very least faced huge opposition. 

But he wasn’t moved and I am.

What’s the problem?

Paul had his goals sorted. He wanted to finish his race with joy and faithfully testify of the gospel. Perhaps if I (we maybe?) kept that focus in mind I (we?) could also be unmoved by the difficulties and challenges we face.

Lord, help me, like Paul, to be unmoved by all of these things.