“For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you…” – Romans 15:22-23
Paul’s words remind us that faith and planning are not enemies—they are partners. Paul trusted the providence of God, yet he still made intentional, thoughtful plans. He longed to visit Rome for years, but God had assignments for him first. When he writes, “But now no longer having a place in these parts…” he isn’t saying he ran out of ideas—he’s saying he finished the work God gave him. Like a farmer who refuses to leave a single row unsown, Paul stayed until the ground was cultivated, disciples were established, and the gospel was firmly planted. Only then did he revisit the desire God had placed in his heart long ago.
What’s striking is how Paul held his plans—with passion, but also with patience. He wanted Rome. He wanted Spain. But he stayed faithful where God had placed him. That’s maturity. That’s obedience. He served fully here even while dreaming about there. And when he finally wrote to the Romans, it wasn’t to announce a vacation—it was to prepare a mission. He hoped to be “helped on my way” to Spain, using Rome as a launching pad for the gospel’s advance to the western edge of the empire. Paul wasn’t wandering; he was strategizing. Ministry didn’t happen by accident. He prayed, planned, partnered, and pressed forward—always asking, “Is this God’s will?”
This passage whispers a powerful truth: God directs moving servants. Paul made plans that God could adjust. He dreamed, but he surrendered those dreams to God’s timing. He strategized, but he held every strategy with open hands. And when God redirected him, he didn’t complain—he obeyed. That’s why his ministry was fruitful. That’s why his legacy endures. He lived Proverbs 16:9: “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Paul gave God something to direct.
What plans are you offering God today? Are they rooted in His Word, aligned with His will, and surrendered to His timing? Faith doesn’t mean drifting—it means planning with humility and moving with obedience. Give God something to direct, and trust Him to lead you into the fullness of His blessing.
“The man who is wholly and joyfully surrendered to Christ cannot make a wrong choice—any choice will be the right one.”—A.W. Tozer
surrendered devotions 