As Paul pressed forward on his second missionary journey he ran into some obstacles. At first he was hindered by the Holy Spirit to work in Asia and Mysia, new territories for this pioneer missionary. This must have been somewhat confusing to him. Why would the Holy Spirit hinder him from spreading the Gospel there? 

 

Being committed to the Holy Spirit he knew he could do nothing worthwhile without His help. How the Spirit hindered him is not indicated in the text. He probably just didn’t have peace. He later on wrote in Colossians 3:15: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” 

 

Dr. Edman, former president of Wheaton College, called this “the discipline of delay.” He writes, “Paul came to know the patience of hindered purpose…The delay that instructs and prepares saves time, never loses it. From it one can walk with a step of assurance and a heart of flame.” 

 

There was no indication he let this keep him from pressing on. When the Holy Spirit hindered him from preaching in Asia and Mysia he had to accept God’s schedule. Paul’s purpose was reaching people who have never heard the Gospel. He had to be patient during what seemed to him to be hindered purpose. I’m sure he learned more about himself and about God during that experience. 

 

With hindsight, years later, he could see that God ordained delays are not a waste of time, they save time. Later these regions were reached by people from Asia and Mysia who found Christ through the church in Ephesus and then went back to their cities and planted churches.