18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us.
Sometimes our heart pulls us in one direction and the circumstances of life dictate that we go in a different direction. My family is getting ready for such a split. Our children are six hours south of us right now. At the end of the month we must move an extra six hours north, doubling our travel time. With our first grandson being born in the next four weeks, our hearts want to be two minutes away, rather than twelve hours away. I fully recognize that this is not an outwardly eternal situation. We will survive and we will create opportunities for connection through Skype.com. But our hearts are still torn. Paul wanted to be with the Thessalonian believers, but was prevented from doing so. He says that it was Satan’s doing. I am not sure of the specifics that let Paul know it was Satan and not simply a poor bus schedule, but he was unable to go there when his heart desired. Just because we don’t get our way does not mean that Satan has stopped our plans. Perhaps it was God, or perhaps it was God using circumstances or using Satan. I am very cautious when giving Satan credit for doing anything in my life. Often Jesus-followers give him far too much credit. If we are following closely after Jesus, then Satan can only enter our lives when God allows it. And God only allows it when Satan is just a tool to accomplish God’s purpose in our lives. If it really is Satan, look for God’s purpose to be accomplished by our obedience in that time of trial. Look for the refining of your spirit by His Spirit, the strengthening of your resolve to follow, the cleansing of your thought life, or the depth of your prayer life. Something clued Paul into seeing Satan’s hand in the mess. Paul did not always attribute the difficulties he was experiencing to Satan and neither should we. I suggest that we look for the hand of God behind difficult circumstances. He wants to use that difficulty for His ultimate purpose.
The Arnold Journey 