We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. – Acts 21:4

Today's Scripture Reading (March 29, 2021): Acts 21

There is a belief within the Christian church that most of the opposition and division originates with Satan. We believe that Satan is finite and has limited resources to throw at any situation. And because of that, he is likely to be more active inside the church than at the local bar. As a result, the church is often a place of turmoil and chaos resulting from the battle between good and evil that is taking place within the spiritual community. We believe that Satan is active in the spaces where significant spiritual decisions are being made.

Is there any truth to the idea? Maybe. I agree that Satan's resources are not unlimited, so he has to carefully consider where he will use those resources. And a lot of the bitterness and gossip that exists inside the church carries the characteristics of Satan's preferred methods. But there is also a danger to the belief. While I agree that Satan is active in the lives of the people of the Christian Community, his meddling is not the only source of our struggle.

Most of the struggle that is present in the church might just be because of us. We have wants, desires, and egos that can cause division without Satan being forced to spend any of his limited resources. We are a selfish people and seem to be able to create division very easily. And often, we seem to react negatively to the ghosts of division and insult that only exists within the confines of our own minds.

But maybe one of the most surprising reasons for our struggle is that God places it within our midst at least some of the time. At least, that seems to be the case as Paul continues his journey toward Jerusalem. As Paul approaches Jerusalem, bringing with him the offering that he had collected on his latest missionary journey to help those impacted by the famine in Judea, the resistance to Paul's idea of going to Jerusalem increases. Repeatedly we are told that the people he met as he proceeded toward the Holy City encouraged him not to complete his journey. Surely, there was someone else who Paul could entrust with the task of taking the offering to Jerusalem. Their message is clear. Paul, if you go to Jerusalem, things are going to go bad for you. I know you feel you have to go, but we are begging you to send someone else.

And this message was not inspired by Satan but rather by the Holy Spirit. The problem is that Paul's insistence that he go to Jerusalem is also inspired by the moving of the Spirit in Paul's ministry. And our question might be how the Spirit can inspire his people in opposite directions. I am convinced that, part of the time, the division in the church is a deliberate act on the part of God, ensuring that in every situation, we understand that we are people with free will and a choice. And not every option is a choice between good and evil. Sometimes our choices are just that, choices. And in these neutral cases, God has promised that he will work within the boundaries of the decisions we choose to make.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 22