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「到了每西亞的邊界，他們想要往庇推尼去，耶穌的靈卻不准。」（聖經使徒行傳十六章 7 節）
這是一個多麼奇怪的禁止！這些人想要往庇推尼去，目的是為作主的工，但是主自己反把工作的門關起來。我自己也曾有這樣的經歷。有時候，我自以為成功的路徑，相反的受到了很多攔阻。卻反過來催逼我回去，疾病進來強迫我退到荒野去。
有時工作尚未做完，聖靈要我把它放下，這實在是非常困難的事。但是神給我看見：工作是事奉神，等候也是事奉神。要我活動的是神，禁止我活動的也是神。感謝神，我現在知道多少時候荒野原是最有益的地方。感謝神，很多我所愛去的庇推尼，我都沒有去。
聖靈啊，雖然我的前途常遭挫折，我仍然願意揀選你的引導。今天工作的門似乎開了，明天當我正要進去的時候又忽然關了，這都是你的事情。
求你教導我在等候中看見前面的路徑。求你教導我在禁止中尋見事奉你的新路。求你教導我在不作工的時候盡忠，用安靜來作工，用等候來事奉。 ── 馬得勝（George Matheson）
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“After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit suffered them not.” (Acts 16:7.)
What a strange prohibition! These men were going into Bithynia just to do Christ’s work, and the door is shut against them by Christ’s own Spirit. I, too, have experienced this in certain moments. I have sometimes found myself interrupted in what seemed to me a career of usefulness. Opposition came and forced me to go back, or sickness came and compelled me to retire into a desert apart.
It was hard at such times to leave my work undone when I believed that work to be the service of the Spirit. But I came to remember that the Spirit has not only a service of work, but a serviced of waiting. I came to see that in the Kingdom of Christ there are not only times for action, but times in which to forbear acting. I came to learn that the desert place apart is often the most useful spot in the varied life of man – more rich in harvest than the seasons in which the corn and wine abounded. I have been taught to thank the blessed Spirit that many a darling Bithynia had to be left unvisited by me.
And so, Thou Divine Spirit, would I still be led by Thee. Still there come to me disappointed prospects of usefulness. Today the door seems to open into life and work for Thee; tomorrow it closes before me just as I am about to enter.
Teach me to see another door in the very inaction of the hour. Help me to find in the very prohibition thus to serve Thee, a new opening into Thy service. Inspire me with the knowledge that a man may at times be called to do his duty by doing nothing, to work by keeping still, to serve by waiting. When I remember the power of the “still small voice,” I shall not murmur that sometimes the Spirit suffers me not to go. --- George Matheson.
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