Acts 24:27 (NKJV): But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.

During your career, either as an individual or an entity, have you ever been bogged down in governmental bureaucracy and politics--by a strange, mysterious and convoluted lack of decision-making and action by the powers that be?

Over the decades of my professional career, I've seen government bureaucracies at multiple levels expand and exert an ever-tighter, unreasonable grip on businesses. There are times when I get exasperated "rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's" when I see so much unreasonable control, manipulation, and misuse of governmental power, authority and resources.

Back in his day, the Apostle Paul went through a whole lot of nonsense due to bureaucracy and politics, on multiple levels. In Acts 24 and surrounding chapters, we read about a situation during which he sits in jail for two years without being convicted of anything--for apparently no "good" reason except that Felix wanted to please the Jews and receive a bribe from Paul. While Paul was a spiritual giant, I'm sure that humanly speaking, he got frustrated, exasperated, irritated, and restless. However, in due season, Paul had an opportunity to speak and defend himself with Festus, and the wheels of progress began to turn once again.

If you are bogged down in bureaucracy and politics today, keep praying and trusting the Lord. Be alert to strategic opportunities to speak words of divine, Holy Spirit-led clarity (spoken in a calm, confident manner) into a confusing, confounding and contentious situation. Watch how the Lord works to break up the stagnation and get things moving again. He will work it all out for good, even when we cannot see how or when.   

Let’s think about and discuss these questions:

1. Does your job require dealing with the government? Did you encounter any difficulties?

2. How do you interpret "rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God’s"?

3. After reading through today’s devotion, what do you think is the best attitude and practice when dealing with bureaucracy and politics?