Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you knew you were doing the right thing, but everything just fell apart? Perhaps, you felt God was calling you to something, but no matter what you did, nothing worked. Paul had a similar problem...
1 Thessalonians 2:18 "Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us."
Paul knew what he had planned to do was right and godly yet for this moment, he was "hindered." The word Paul uses for hindered has two meanings. The first means like a road that his been made impassable, it is potholed and rutted. I've been on roads like that in China. Your choice is, get stuck or turn around and go back. Paul's first meaning is simply this, sometimes we can get hindered to where we reach an impasse and have to turn around and look for another route.
His second meaning is like that of two racers, each running with all of their might but one wants to win. Regardless of the ethics, one elbows the other causing him to stumble and lose. I am sure that you have seen this happen, not just in running events but in many sporting events where cheating takes place.
In both of these situations, frustration can arise, anger, fear, and/or hopelessness can take over. Paul shares this with us so that we don't allow those things to overwhelm us. God is in control, and while the enemy may seem like he gets a victory, it will never happen. God always makes a way. Job tells us in 42:2 that God's purpose will not be stopped.
Things happen, but our hope and trust are not in things but in God. He always makes the impossible possible.
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