Paul encouraged the disciples and then left for Macedonia. Note that it is "the disciples" not "his disciples". We are called to be followers of Christ. Travelling took longer in Paul's day, but that did not mean that less was done. A few hours spent of an aeroplane, and the associated hanging around and waiting is usually waster. Paul encouraged the various churches he met along the way.
Jews had plotted against him. So many key figures in the Bible lived their lives under constant threat. Moses and David are examples from the Old Testament, Jesus and Paul examples from the new. Our natural leaning is to long for a life free from trouble and pressure, and we see getting free of the pressure as the route to freedom. God's solution is to be able to cope with the pressure and to know His peace. Seeking to be free from pressure is one of the things that leads to break-ups of marriages, and people giving up, even suicide in the most extreme cases. God's way leads to life. May God give us the peace that passes all understanding. See that His peace "passes understanding". In our various situations we can always work out why we will never be at peace, but God's peace passes all understanding.
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