I am pleased to share some timely posts from Howard W. Norton. May they bless and uplift you!

—By Howard W. Norton

We learn as we age that the poet Robert Burns was on target when he wrote, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Sometimes our planning and organizing just don’t work out as we had hoped.

Paul was a careful planner and organizer; but in spite of this ability, he sometimes had to deal with thwarted plans and make the most of the unexpected. Acts 16:6-10 tells of his desire to go south to Asia only to be forbidden by the Holy Spirit. He then tried to go north to Bithynia and was not allowed by the Spirit of Jesus to do so.

Making the most of his failed plans, he managed to take the gospel through an open door to Europe, that 1500 years later reached the New World, and now reaches us. His third choice worked, and the world is blessed because he kept on trying.

The coronavírus has definitely messed up our plans. We can groan and moan about this unexpected circumstance, or we can work with the Lord to turn the interruption into a blessing that will live on after we are gone.