Sometimes it’s God who wants to stop us from doing something

SOMETIMES IT’S GOD WHO WANTS TO STOP US FROM DOING SOMETHING

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. (Acts 16:6 NLT)

Pay attention to the words “prevented” “at that time.”
Sometimes we want to do something good, but God is telling us not yet.

It’s not enough to want to do something, but it’s convenient to do it with the following filter:

1.- What do I want to do? I have to make sure that it’s something aligned with God’s purpose for my life, for my assignment, and not that of others. It must be in harmony with the values given by God. It must be honest, fair, etc.

2.- The place.
Paul and Silas wanted to do something great in those cities, but they were led astray by the Holy Spirit because it wasn’t the right time for that place.

…traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them(Acts 16:6 NLT)

The Holy Spirit diverted them because God had another urgency in the Macedonian region.

3.- The time.
We must discern what we want to do, where we should do it, but also, when is God’s opportune time.

9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 So we[a] decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.(Acts 16:9-10 NLT)

Think about it:
What am I focusing on at this time?
Where does God want me to invest my resources in this time, my money, time, and strength?
In what and where does God have urgency for now?