And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. – Acts 27:22-24
When Paul was being taken to Rome to stand trial before Caesar, his ship was caught in a terrible storm. At the point when the crew of the ship had given up all hope, Paul came on deck with a message he had received from God—that their lives would all be spared. Looking at the circumstances around them, there was no reason for them to believe Paul. God did not still the storm, and, in fact, it continued to rage right up until they were shipwrecked on an island. But just as God had promised to Paul, none of their lives were lost.
Many times when we are struggling with difficult circumstances, we find it hard to remember to trust the promises of God. When our eyes are telling us there is no hope, when those around us are giving in to despair, we can still be confident and even happy. I read about an elderly lady who always seemed to be in a cheerful mood. Finally someone asked her, “You always seem to be happy. Do you never have clouds in your life?” “Of course I have clouds,” she replied. “You can’t have showers of blessing without clouds!”
Nothing happens to us that takes God by surprise, and nothing happens to us that derails God’s plan for our lives. Our plans may lie in pieces in the middle of a great storm, but God is still at work. If we are willing to trust Him even when we cannot see the way ahead, we will not be disheartened by the storms. The stormy seasons of life are just as much a part of God’s plan for us as the calm seasons are, and He is always faithful. ( Daily in the Word)
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
Humble, Tx.
