Do you ever feel like you are lost on the path of life? You have a plan. You are following your plan. Then suddenly, or gradually, your plan goes awry. You lose your footing. You lose sight of the goal. Your confidence is shaken. Your equilibrium is way off. Nothing makes sense anymore, and everywhere you turn looks like a dead end. You might say, I can handle this. I know what to do. So you do it. And you dont get the result that you hoped for. And now your world is really rocking. You look for God, and Hes no where to be found. Or so it seems. You are no longer on dry ground. Suddenly, it is more like you are in the middle of the ocean, the sky is dark, the storm is raging, and you dont even have a compass.The apostle Paul was a prisoner in the custody of the Roman army.The Roman soldiers were taking Paul and some other prisoners to Italy to stand trial before Caesar.Against Paul’s sound advice, the Roman Centurion decided to set sail even though it was too late in the year to travel safely by sea.Soon after they set sail, the storm hit.How many times did a voice inside tell you not to go in a direction, but you did it anyway?In verse 15, it says they could not head into the wind, so they gave way, and the wind drove them along.Now we know from the Bible that He has given us everything we need for life and godliness, and that with every temptation He has provided a way of escape, so I am not implying that we should give way to the temptation to sin. However, when the storms of life hit, dont struggle against what is happening by complaining, arguing, or fighting about things over which you have no control. Conserve your energy. Rest, both mentally and physically. Now you have entered into a storm. In the Christian life, we sometimes have mountain top experiences, sometimes we have dry desert experiences, and occasionally, we have a whopper of a storm. Sometimes they come on suddenly, without warning.Sometimes, we see them coming. Sometimes, just when we think we are nearing the end, the storm gets worse! The only thing we can do is cling to the promise that God will never leave us nor forsake us, even when everything we see may be telling us all hope is lost.In God’s Word, the Bible, God has given us some tips on how to get through a storm. Acts 27:13-44 tells the story.In verse 18, the storm raged so intensely that the men had to make a decision to throw their cargo overboard. Think about the cargo in your own life. What is it?Past wounds you have held onto. Affection for things not useful for you in your journey. Excess baggage. Things that weigh you down. These things may have seemed useful when you were sailing on smooth waters. That wall you built to keep from getting hurt, the computer games that help you zone out when you feel stressed, or things like bitterness, jealousy, or resentment.By the time we reach verse 20, there is no sign of relief, and the storm rages on. The men give up all hope. Sometimes in the natural, there is no hope. There is no medicine, operation, application, organization, or agency than can fix what has gone wrong. You might feel like Job at this point, with everyone who has not already abandoned you saying things like, just have faith, rebuke the devil, say this scripture, get the sin out of your life, speak in tongues, raise your hands, bow down, etc., etc., etc. Thanks a lot. I tried that, and fifty other things you never thought of.Lessons in the Storms of Life Once you have made it through the storm, you are back on dry land, and back on the path. But now, the load is lighter, the way is more cheerful, you are more creative, and your efforts are so much more effective! Youve gained a healthy respect for the skills God has gifted you with to make a living (the tackle) and no longer claim them as your own or use them without relying on God. What happened? God sometimes uses the storms of life to help us throw off everything that hinders and the sin (like pride) that so easily entangles. He wants us to mount up as with wings like eagles, to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint.MEANING WE NEED TO TRUST GOD NO MATTER WHAT.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Oct 2013 21:53:50 +0000
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