Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

Too many times in my life, I have seen others experience, or experienced myself, challenges that are designed to stop progress or create an impediment to progress. And every time, if the cause is just, I have been able to see a workaround emerge.

At work, when the insurance marketplace would tell me that a certain type of business was not able to be underwritten in the normal pricing, I would re-evaluate the risk, build out more solutions to reduce risk and then succeed in getting an underwriter to write the account.

When the police were being persecuted in the media and with bad politicians, people tried to hold rallies to support them, but many of these rallies were high-jacked by extremists on both sides. God called me to help plan a rally that was politically neutral and focused just on blessing the police. We worked-around the “hijacking the event” challenge by renting out a private facility and selling tickets to our rally. We had major obstacles like COVID-19, and a short time frame (6 weeks), etc. But with God’s power and strength we were able to raise $43,000 in six weeks from scratch and attract top speakers from across the country, with over 1,000 in attendance.

I share these examples not because I think I am great, rather to encourage you to believe that workarounds are possible and are one of the primary ways God works in a sinful world.

Think about it … he created Adam and Eve to dwell with him in the garden. They had all they needed and then some, but they decided to disobey God and sin entered into the human race like a highly contagious disease. So what did God do? He orchestrated a series of “workarounds”, first allowing animal sacrifices to pay the price for sins, and later sending his only Son to be our sacrificial lamb. Jesus died a cruel death on a cross, paying the price for our sin, so we could be restored to a right relationship with God, if we just believe.

Here, we see Paul preaching in the synagogue, but after a while the synagogue leaders came against him. They spread false rumors about his work and his ministry. So God orchestrated a work-around: Paul found a new place to preach at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. And he was further empowered to perform tons of miracles.

Divine workarounds are fun in the end, but in the middle they involve challenge, conflict, and potential persecution. What Divine Workarounds have you seen? Or perhaps, you are in the middle of one? Will you trust God to follow through?

Thank you, Lord, for your divine workarounds. They fuel me to take more risks spiritually and to trust you deeper still!