Paul and Ananias: Trusting God’s Plan in the Unknown

It is easy to follow when things are neatly organized and go the way we think they should. But when God’s plan directly conflicts our expectations, how can we find the faith to follow?

Acts 22 finds Paul preaching the Gospel to this Jewish audience and using his own life experience to do so. As he spoke, he made specific mention of Ananias, the man God used to heal his temporary blindness. It is a fascinating testimony—prior to Jesus revealing himself to him, Paul had no visual issues at all but was quite blind spiritually. After meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus, his spiritual vision was finally clear, but he was now physically and visually blind.

At the time it happened, there was no indication whether Paul knew if or how this blindness would ever be healed. This physical limitation that came with his spiritual salvation must have been frustrating, to say the least. Yet this blindness was part of a well-orchestrated plan.

God Calls Us Where We Wouldn’t Choose to Go

“'Lord,' Ananias answered, 'I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.' But the Lord said to Ananias, 'Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.' Then Ananias went to the house and entered it." Acts 9:13-17

God had planned specifically to meet Paul on that road at that moment and leave him temporarily blind because of that meeting. Paul now had to trust in God’s sovereignty, as did Ananias, the righteous man God used to restore Paul’s vision.

Remember, Ananias was one of the people Paul came to arrest. The last thing that made sense to him was to go to where Paul was waiting, and it makes perfect sense that Ananias would bring this concern to God. Yet what made sense to him was not where God was at work; God was working in a way that would require faith from both men. God was working in a way that he continues to work today – in a place where our faith is all we have to trust in, and what seems like a good or bad idea to us is irrelevant to what he is calling us to do for His glory!

Paul, who had been a confident and calloused leader, was now a humbled and helpless follower. No longer leading the charge against believers, he was now blindly led by the hand to the city he recently intended to enter as a powerful force.

Saul the persecutor was becoming Paul the Apostle, but Ananias had no proof of this beyond a vision from God.

Ananias came to him in faith, stood by him, and called him brother. In faith, Ananias followed God to heal a man he knew nothing of but fear.

In his Providence, God had arranged a miracle.

I Was Able to See

The first image that Paul, the new believer, would see was the face of a faithful man willing to put his own safety aside and trust himself to God.

Paul the believer opened his eyes to a man he previously intended to persecute now healing him through the power of God.

Both men were learning difficult lessons that involved large amounts of faith and trust.

Paul was learning immediately that God would humble him and teach him to deeply love and care for those he once persecuted. Ananias would learn that God could change any heart, no matter how broken, no matter how cold.

"And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. and now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’" Acts 22:14-16

Why Do You Wait?

What we see here is a moment of faith in action! As Paul steps into the new life that lies before him as an apostle of Jesus and missionary to the Gentiles, there is no need to wait.

God himself had appointed Paul to do his will, and there was no reason to wait to accept that call! There was nothing to think about, nothing to do first, nothing to plan, and no one to ask. Paul had heard the voice of God and was accordingly ready to embrace the new creation that he had become.

We, too, have heard the voice of the righteous One as he called us unto Himself. We, too, are called to be a witness of him. We who have believed are also called to be baptized.

Are there areas in your life where you are waiting and should not be? Are you waiting to follow God’s calling out of fear or hesitation, when he is calling you to act in ways that don’t seem to make sense?

Whatever God is calling us to, we must be prepared to hear his voice and obey without hesitation. He is faithful, trustworthy, and so very good to us! We can walk into the path he has set before us without fear, as the God who called us is faithful to complete the work he has begun in us.

Photo Credit: Image created using DALL.E 2024  AI technology and subsequently edited and reviewed by our editorial team.

Jason Soroski is a homeschool dad and member of the worship team at matthias lot church in St. Charles, MO. He spends his free time hanging out with his family, exploring new places, and writing about the experiences. Connect on Facebook or at JasonSoroski.net.