Tylenol, Rolaids, a bar of chocolate…there are a whole wad of things “out there” that are touted to give relief from whatever internal angst we suffer from at the moment. In the following account, the Apostle Paul needed relief from anguish, but he chose something far stronger than these.

In 2Cor. 2:12, we find him looking forward to his visit to Troas: “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord.” He thought he would be walking through a great open door to preach the Gospel and minister together with his fellow-servant, Titus. One small problem though--Titus didn’t show up. Had he been attacked by bandits? Was he hurt? Why hadn’t he come? “Who or what caused these two men--Paul and Titus--to ‘foul up’ their plans is not revealed here.” 1 But, regardless of what had happened, Paul would not be preaching as he had thought.

Paul went on to tell about lacking that peace of mind (anesin in the Greek) -- or relief in spirit-- for his anguish. Was it the Lord’s will for Him to leave Troas without preaching and without knowing what had happened to Titus? Here was an apparently perfect open door which soon slammed shut, bringing with it nothing but distress. Humanly speaking, it seemed like a ruined opportunity. Had the Lord diverted Paul to accomplish another divine purpose, or to simply teach the apostle more about His peace during the waiting time?

Nothing man-made will take care of the self-imposed agony we may fall into when waiting for the plan of God to become clear. Have you ever prayed for the Lord to show you His will for a particular need or desire (perhaps a new job, a ministry change, a move, adopting a child, an educational opportunity, or a missions endeavor)? You seem to eat, sleep, and live those prayers. When your mind boots up in the morning, it’s the first thing on the screen. A door might even seem to be opening up but quicker than it opens, it closes. Then questions come: Could this really be the Lord’s will? Something isn’t quite right...… Was this just the answer I wanted because I’m asking selfishly? … As this door closes, will an opportunity like this ever come again? … Am I lacking faith? Is this just a test to see what I’ll do?

When the Lord presents us with an opportunity and a door closes, how do we react to this “change in plans”? Is our mind stayed on Him because we trust in Him, knowing that He will keep us in that perfect peace? Do we view it as the Lord’s will—disappointments and all-- or quickly google for “UMatter- Let Us Plan Your Pity Party Today!”? Do we lose face (after all, we are in a prominent position in the church--school-garden club-local mensa group-- and what would people think? ). or lose sight of what is ahead for us (as we pick up a mirror and sadly gaze into it, just missing the next set of directions the Lord is holding right in front of us ? ) Thankfully, because of his confident faith, Paul was led to write 2 Cor.2:14—“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.” For Paul, it did not take long to relinquish any despondency. He would set out for Macedonia confident that his God was still in control. He was working all things “together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (that oft-quoted but less-often claimed Rom. 8:28).

The Lord may let us undergo similar turmoil in our own lives for various reasons. It may be simply to encourage someone watching us from the “back row of the balcony”—someone of whom we may never know, but who is, at that very moment, looking to us for a godly example for their own questions about the Lord’s will.

Though society would have us believe otherwise, this torment we may experience cannot be cured by Anacin, Tums, or anything else. Paul realized his human limitations, shown by his words in 2 Cor. 7:5,6: For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side: without were fightings, within were fears. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus:”

So, we see that Titus did eventually meet up with him (minus beatings and robbings). Paul did return to Troas where the Lord used Him greatly (Acts 20: 5-11). In this case, the closed door was simply a delay. We may not know why a door has closed until we get to heaven. Our thoughts are not His thoughts, nor are our ways His. But the Lord is with us at this present moment, and desires to give us His anesin any time we are ready to give up our plans for His will.


1. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press

First appeared in Frontline magazine