Sometimes things that look awful and feel horrible, end up not being that bad after all. God can work in mysterious ways in difficult circumstances. Let me show you an example in Acts 15:36-41- And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (www.lifejournal.cc) The men of the Gospel come to a fork in the road and as Yogi Berra recommends, When you come to a fork in the road, take it. They took it. One went one way and one went the other. This disagreement was over whether John Mark ought to travel with them. Barnabas said, 'Yes', but Paul said, "He has already left us one time and I don't want him doing it again." John Mark joined them in the last verse of Acts 12 and left them in Acts 13:13. Paul did not want him to leave them again. Barnabas wanted him to have another chance. Both men were so passionate about this that they went their separate ways. Awful and horrible, huh? Not really. Both parties continued to share the Gospel faithfully and that led to twice as many people hearing the Gospel in twice as many places. The Gospel was spread even more in the midst of the conflict.
In other words, don't grow so discouraged and downtroddened when good, Godly folk don't agree on a matter as long as they are continuing to minister for the Lord. The Lord works in us in spite of us sometimes. He is in control. Rest in that...no matter what may come!
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