A Day Away

Pete Kersker - Jul 27, 2026

The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them (Acts 14:4-5 NIV).

Paul and Barnabas have been traveling for months by this time. They've traversed the island of Crete. They hiked up the mountain passes to Antioch in Pisidia. They walked a week away to Iconium when they were run out of town by the jealous leaders. Now, They're about to be stoned to death by the leaders of this new town.

But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country... (Acts 14:6 NIV).

Lystra is not that far away from Iconium. Twenty miles is only about a day away. This was just far enough, though, to get away from the negative pressure trying to stop them from doing what God was calling them to do. This distance and time was just enough to keep them going.

...where they continued to preach the gospel (Acts 14:7 NIV).

Have you ever experienced negative pressure
that tries to stop you from doing what God has called you to do?

Were you able to get a day away?
Did it refresh you enough to keep going?