1 Thessalonians 3: Clear the Way

“¹¹ Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. ¹² May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. ¹³ May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” -1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

As Paul encouraged his Christian friends, he focused on an intriguing matter often missed in our modern communication. What is it? A phrase in 1 Thessalonians 3:11 Paul called “clear the way.”

Specifically, Paul asked for God to “clear the way” for his team to visit his friends. His desire was for God to guide and to provide an opportunity for him to reconnect with those he loved. Yet this same idea, to clear the way, is one vital to our understanding of God’s workings today.

We don’t “do” life as Christians; we follow the life (John 14:6). As Jesus leads, we pursue, whether the journey leads to success or suffering, notoriety or death. Regardless, we ask God to clear the way for us to enjoy life with those we love, whether family far away or friends from former days.

Personally, when I ask God to clear the way, I am asking for him to guide and confirm his path for my life. Sometimes an opportunity comes along that looks good, but I’m unsure whether to take it. Other times, I have a goal or dream I wish to pursue, and need wisdom as to whether this is a selfish ambition or one that would honor God. The key has always been to ask; the asking alone indicates a desire to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. When we place all our desires, dreams, and ambitions before him and ask our heavenly Father to clear the way, we can be confident he will answer with good gifts for his children.

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Dillon Burroughs is the author and coauthor of numerous books and is handwriting a copy of all 31,173 verses of the Bible at HolyWritProject.com. Find out more about Dillon at Facebook.com/readdB or readdB.com.