“The Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus.” Acts 20:23-24
Paul’s farewell words to the Ephesian elders reveal a striking tension. He isn’t walking into Jerusalem unaware of the danger. The Spirit has already warned him—again and again—that chains and suffering lie ahead. Yet Paul’s response is not retreat or delay. He sees his life through a different lens: the mission of Jesus matters more than personal safety.
That same dynamic often plays out in our own discipleship, though the details differ. The Spirit may not tell us to board a ship for Jerusalem, but He does nudge our hearts in ways that can feel risky. Perhaps you sense a call to forgive someone who wounded you deeply, to speak truth in a setting where it won’t be welcomed, to serve in a place where comfort and control will be stripped away. We feel the weight of what obedience might cost—relational strain, financial sacrifice, misunderstanding.
It’s easy to confuse warning with prohibition. Sometimes God’s Spirit gives a sober forecast not to stop us, but to strengthen us. He prepares our hearts so we can step forward with eyes open, anchored in trust rather than naïve optimism. Hardship is not evidence of God’s absence; it’s often proof of His presence and direction.
Paul’s words challenge our modern assumptions about the “good life.” He measured success not by comfort or security but by faithfulness: finish the race, complete the task, testify to the good news of God’s grace. For him, that was worth every tear, every setback, every prison wall.
A Heart Check for Today
- Where might the Spirit be warning you of difficulty, not to deter you but to prepare you?
- What “race” has Jesus set before you that requires perseverance over self-preservation?
- How can you reframe hardship as an opportunity to display God’s sustaining grace?
Prayer
Lord, give me Paul’s courage and clarity. When Your Spirit whispers of trials ahead, help me to lean in, not pull back. Fix my eyes on the joy of finishing the course You’ve laid before
And that’s the mid-week memo.
